An ancient surgical procedure involving drilling or scraping a hole in the skull, historically practiced to treat head injuries, mental illness, or to release evil spirits, and still occasionally used today for medical conditions like relieving intracranial pressure.
From Greek 'trypanon' meaning 'borer' or 'drill,' later becoming 'trephine' in French and English. This is one of humanity's oldest surgical procedures, with evidence dating back over 6,500 years to Neolithic times.
Trephination is literally the oldest surgery known to humanity - archaeologists have found skulls with carefully drilled holes from the Stone Age, and amazingly, many show signs of healing, proving that patients survived! What's even more incredible is that this ancient technique laid the groundwork for modern neurosurgery, and the basic principle of relieving pressure in the skull is still used today in emergency medicine.
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