Trepanantion is described as which ancient skull-altering procedure?

• A. Trepanantion
• B. Lobotomy
• C. Trepanation
• D. Craniotomy

Answer: (A)

Trepanation names the ancient skull-opening procedure. It involves removing a circular piece of the skull using a trepan or similar tool, a practice found in many ancient cultures for reasons such as relief of head injuries or intracranial pressure, and sometimes ritual or spiritual purposes. This term directly describes the action being described, which is why it’s the best choice. In contrast, lobotomy refers to cutting or altering brain tissue in modern psychiatric treatment, not an ancient skull modification; craniotomy is a modern surgical opening of the skull to access the brain and is not specifically an ancient practice. The spelling variant in the options is a common misspelling; the standard term is trepanation.