The earliest document regarding the history of cranioplasty from the Ottoman era

Cranioplasty is one of the significant neurosurgical procedures in which the technical advances and also, by some means, drawbacks are still continuing. According to archeological findings and anthropological studies, the earliest procedures regarding cranioplasty date back to just about the same period claimed for trepanation. Ancient surgeons from different geographical sites and cultures performed both practices with remarkable survival rates. However, despite the length of the thriving past of cranioplasty, the first known written record on the topic dates back to late 16th century Europe. Further study of the Ottoman era documents revealed an intriguing text that was written about the repair of skull defects and that dates from early 16th century. This worthy discovery will add valuable contribution to the history of neurosurgery by drawing the written history of cranioplasty more than 60 years back and the use of organic grafts 160 years back. In the present study, this original text is discussed. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.