Things You'll Need:
- Computer with Internet access
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Step 1
Know where and when trepanation started. In France, skulls with trepanation holes have been discovered dating back to 6,500 B.C. Up to 1 in 3 patients may have undergone trepanation for a variety of reasons, including migraines or head injuries. It is unknown how many patients were actually helped by trepanation, but it is evident from the fossil record that many patients at least survived the procedure.
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Step 2
Learn about the recorded history of trepanation. Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates wrote a detailed account of how to perform trepanation. He recommended it be used to treat head injuries that did not involve a fracture of the skull.
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Step 3
Learn about trepanation in the middle ages. Barber surgeons performed the procedure as treatment for headaches, epilepsy and mental illness. It was believed that evil spirits trapped in the brain caused these afflictions. Drilling a hole would allow them to escape, making the patient well again. It is estimated that 40 percent of trepanation patients during this time died of infection.
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Step 4
Learn about trepanation in the New World. Several Mesoamerican societies would trepan skulls of captured enemies after death to turn them into trophies. Other examples of multiple trepanation holes, performed while the subject was still alive, indicate experimentation in the field of trepanation.
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Step 5
Discover more about the complete history of trepanation and its uses, by reading the Essential Surgical Care Manual (see Resources below).
