A surgical procedure that involves removing a portion of the skull (bone flap) to access the brain for treatment of conditions like tumors, aneurysms, or traumatic injuries. The bone flap is typically replaced at the end of the procedure.
From Greek 'kranion' (skull) and 'tome' (a cutting), literally meaning 'skull cutting.' Trepanation, a primitive form of craniotomy, is one of the oldest surgical procedures known, with evidence dating back 6,500 years.
Craniotomy requires removing part of your skull like opening a treasure chest to access the most complex organ in the universe - your brain! Ancient civilizations performed trepanation with stone tools, and remarkably, many patients survived, as evidenced by healed skull bones found in archaeological sites worldwide.
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