title: The woman of Pritschoena: an example of the German neolithic neurosurgery in Saxony-Anhalt.
abstract: We present an outstanding example of successful prehistoric double trephination dating between 2700 and 2200 BC, most likely to the Corded Ware culture, at the end of the Neolithic Age. The particularity of this case is the presence of a double trephination, one frontal over the sinus sagittal superior and one parietal right. There is evidence that the patient survived months to years after the operations. The purpose of the procedure is not known. The case confirms the astonishing degree of technical skills reached in Saxony-Anhalt over 4500 years ago without anesthetic, antiseptic, or technologic aids.
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany. alex.alfieri@medizin.uni-halle.de
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meller
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stoll-Tucker
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tacik
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brandt
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000266:history*; D014207:Trephining / Q000266:history*