title: [Cranial trepanation in primitive cultures].
abstract: A review is presented on cranial trepanations performed by primitive cultures. The scientific interest in this topic began after the discovery in 1965 by Ephraim G. Squier of a pre-Columbian trepanated skull, and studied by Paul Broca in Paris. Pseudotrepanation and other types of cranial manipulation are reviewed. The techniques, technology, and instruments for every type of trepanation are well known. There are a surprisingly high percentage of cases showing signs of post-trepanation survival. Indications for trepanation are speculative, perhaps magic. Although trepanation in primitive cultures is widespread around the world, and throughout time, the main fields of interest are the Neolithic Period in Europe, the pre-Columbian Period in Andean South America, and some contemporaneous Pacific and African tribes. This particular trepanation procedure has no relationship with modern Neurosurgery, or with trepanations with therapeutic purposes performed since the Greco-Roman period in Europe, and afterwards around the world.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurocirugía, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valencia, España. Electronic address: gonzalez_jos@gva.es.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: González-Darder
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D016723:Bone Remodeling; D002562:Ceremonial Behavior; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000601:surgery; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000266:history; D005060:Europe; D005580:Fossils; D006261:Headache / Q000601:surgery; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008519:Medicine, Traditional / Q000266:history*; D044349:Oceania; D010012:Osteogenesis; D010568:Peru; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014207:Trephining / Q000266:history* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: Culturas primitivas; Kisii tribe; Neolithic period; Periodo neolítico; Periodo precolombino; Pre-columbian period; Primitive cultures; Trepanación; Trepanation; Tribu kisii