The skull is the structure of bones that is responsible for covering and protecting the brain (the set of various organs and structures that are included in the nervous system, such as the brain, cerebellum and medulla oblongata).
Eight bones form the case of the skull, whose thickness varies according to the person; their names are the following: occipital, frontal, ethmoid, sphenoid, two parietal and two temporal. It is important to note that in some cases the existence of sutural bones is also recorded.
There are several denominations that are equivalent or similar to the notion of skull. The skull is also often named as the skeleton of the head, bony head or skull, depending on the context.
The function of the skull is very important as it provides protection to the brain, a very sensitive organ that is essential for life. What the skull does is protect the brain from shock and other damage, although the bone box can also be affected by trauma.
A head injury, in fact, is caused by a strong blow to the cranial region that causes neurological problems. It is a physical injury that causes bleeding or bruising in certain regions of the brainstem, cerebellum, or brain.
Loss of consciousness or memory, balance problems, speech difficulties, and decreased visual ability are some symptoms of a head injury.
To avoid these disorders, it is important to protect the skull with a helmet when performing certain risky activities (such as work on a construction site, where it is possible to be hit on the head by rocks or debris).
Plastic skull
Currently, the list of bones and limbs of the body that can be "recovered" through prosthetics is very long: from the pelvis to the maxilla, through the knees and the nose. However, nothing is as impressive as the possibility of replacing the skull with a 3D printed plastic replica. It is a revolution that brings hope to those who depend on reconstructive surgery to continue living or to overcome terrible accidents.
Brain operation without opening the skull
Surgical interventions on the brain are undoubtedly among the most risky and complex, since they require the opening of the skull. However, there is a procedure that avoids this need and that at the beginning of 2015 was practiced for the first time in Spain, after having been tested more than once in Switzerland and the United States on an experimental basis.
For patients with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, strokes, brain tumors and epilepsy, for example, the possibility of having an operation performed without opening the skull represents a less violent and risky method of dealing with diseases that already cause them enough suffering and disturbances.
The first patient to undergo this process suffered from a progressive and complex neurological disorder known as essential tremor . The operation lasts approximately two and a half hours; Regarding preparations, it is necessary to shave the patient's head and put on a helmet whose function is to generate high intensity ultrasound in the area to be treated, guided and focused by magnetic resonance imaging.