What is another word for trephination?
Pronunciation: [tɹˌɛfɪnˈe͡ɪʃən] (IPA) 
Trephination is the medical practice of drilling holes into the skull to relieve pressure or remove a piece of bone. Synonyms for this procedure include cranial perforation, skull surgery, and trepanation. However, these terms are not interchangeable in all contexts. For example, trepanation generally refers specifically to the drilling of a hole for therapeutic purposes, while cranial perforation and skull surgery may also be used to describe other forms of head surgery. Other related terms include craniotomy, which involves cutting open the skull, and burr hole surgery, which uses a small drill to create a small hole in the skull. Regardless of the terminology used, these procedures all involve invasive interventions to treat conditions affecting the brain or skull.
