Nervous system medical and surgical procedures

Question 1

Surgical procedure that creates an opening in the skull to gain access to the brain during neurosurgical procedures

Answer 1

craniotomy
crani/o: cranium (skull)
-tomy: incision

Question 2

Partial destruction of the thalamus to treat psychosis or intractable pain

Answer 2

thalamotomy
thalam/o: thalamus
-tomy: incision

Question 3

Excision of a circular disk of bone by using a specialized saw, called a trephine, to reveal brain tissue during neurosurgery or to relieve intracranial pressure (ICP)

Answer 3

trephination