Andean trepanation was remarkable — drilling holes in the skull to relieve brain pressure after combat trauma. If the removed bone wasn't shattered, it was plugged back in. By Inca times, survival reached 80%, actually exceeding American Civil War surgeons' rates.
Andean trepanation achieved 80 percent survival rate by Inca era
Key facts
- Trepanation involved drilling a hole in the skull to relieve pressure on the brain, often after combat trauma
- The removed bone piece was typically used to plug the hole afterward if not shattered
- By the time of the Inca, trepanation achieved an 80% survival rate
- Andean trepanation success rate exceeded that of American Civil War surgeons
- Artificial cranial modification and trepanation were both practiced in the Andean region, indicating advanced knowledge of skull anatomy
Sources
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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gosh.nhs.uk
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newscientist.com
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sciencealert.com
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fau.edu
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Prehistoric trepanation in the Cuzco region of Peru - PubMedpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
The predominant methods used were circular cutting and scraping-methods that proved highly successful with an overall 83% survival rate and little ensuing ...
Trepanation Reveals the Success of the Incas | ACSfacs.org
long-term survival rate was 40% The average survival rate was determined to be 75%–83% during the Inca period (1400–1500 AD).3
Trepanation in Mesoamerica - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
one estimate, more than 70% of the patients survived the operation. [4] In 2008, anthropologists have discovered evidence which suggests that survival rates ...
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