Trephinations, Trephines, and Craniectomies: Contrast Between Global Ancient Civilizations and Pre-Hispanic Mexican Cultures

José Damian Carrillo-Ruiz; Eugenia Beatriz Muratti-Molina; Gabriel Cojuc-Konigsberg; José Rodrigo Carrillo-Márquez

doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2023.03.088

Trephinations, Trephines, and Craniectomies: Contrast Between Global Ancient Civilizations and Pre-Hispanic Mexican Cultures

World Neurosurg. 2023 Nov:179:49-59. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.03.088. Epub 2023 Mar 24.

Authors

José Damian Carrillo-Ruiz¹, Eugenia Beatriz Muratti-Molina², Gabriel Cojuc-Konigsberg², José Rodrigo Carrillo-Márquez²

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Health Sciences, Anahuac University, Mexico City, Mexico, Naucalpan de Juárez, Estado de México, Mexico; Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Hospital General de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico, Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico; Research Direction, Hospital General de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico, Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico; Neurosciences Coordination, Faculty of Psychology, Anahuac University, Mexico City, Mexico, Naucalpan de Juárez, Estado de México, Mexico. Electronic address: damian.carrillo@anahuac.mx.
² Faculty of Health Sciences, Anahuac University, Mexico City, Mexico, Naucalpan de Juárez, Estado de México, Mexico; Alpha Health Sciences Leadership Program, Anahuac University, Mexico City, Mexico, Naucalpan de Juárez, Estado de México, Mexico.

PMID: 36966913
DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.03.088

Abstract

Mesoamerica is culturally rich in diverse aspects, such as nature, sociology, and archeology. Several neurosurgical techniques were described during the Pre-Hispanic era. In Mexico, various cultures, such as the Aztec, Mixtec, Zapotec, Mayan, Tlatilcan, and Tarahumara, developed surgical procedures using different tools to perform cranial and probably brain interventions. Trepanations, trephines, and craniectomies are different concepts utilized to describe skull operations, which were conducted to treat traumatic, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric diseases, and as a prominent form of ritual practice. More than 40 skulls have been rescued and studied in this region. In addition to written medical sources, archeological vestiges allow a more profound comprehension of Pre-Columbian brain surgery. The purpose of this study is to present the existing evidence of cranial surgery in Pre-Hispanic Mexican civilizations and their worldwide counterparts, procedures that have contributed to the global neurosurgical armamentarium, and have significantly impacted the medical practice's evolution.

Keywords: Craniectomies; Mexico; Pre-Columbian; Trephinations; Trephines.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Civilization
Craniotomy*
Humans
Mexico
Trephining* / methods