The bony structure that contains the brain is called the skull.
The skull is the bone structure 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 cerebrum , the cerebellum and the medulla oblongata ).
Eight bones make up the human skull case, the thickness of which varies depending on the person; Their names are as follows: occipital , frontal , ethmoid , sphenoid , two parietal and two temporal . It is important to highlight that in some cases the existence of sutural bones is also recorded.
There are several names that are equivalent or similar to the notion of skull. The skull is also often called skeleton of the head , bony head or skull , according to the context.
Skull function
The function of the skull is very important since it provides protection to the brain, a very sensitive organ that is essential for life.
What the skull does is protect the brain from blows and other damage, although the bone box can also be affected by trauma.
Skull is often used synonymously with skull.
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 hemorrhages or bruises in certain regions of the brain stem, cerebellum, or cerebrum.
Loss of consciousness or memory , balance problems, speech difficulties, and decreased visual ability are some symptoms of head trauma.
To avoid these disorders, it is important to protect the skull with a helmet when performing certain risky activities (such as working on a construction site, where it is possible to be hit on the head by rocks or debris).
plastic skull
Technological advances reach the masses in the form of flatter televisions, more capable phones and faster computers, but medicine is the other major protagonist of this growing human knowledge. Prostheses date back many centuries ; in fact, several millennia old, as indicated by the first known prosthetic arm, which was found in an Egyptian mummy from 2000 BC.
Currently, the list of bones and members of the body that can be "recovered" through prostheses is very long: from the pelvis to the jaw, passing 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 cranial opening
Surgical interventions on the brain are, without a doubt, among the most risky and complex, since they require the opening of the skull. However, there is a procedure that avoids this need and which 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 having to open the skull represents a less violent and risky method of dealing with diseases that in themselves cause enough suffering and disruption.
The first patient to have undergone this process suffered from a progressive and complex neurological disorder known as essential tremor . The operation lasts approximately two and a half hours; Regarding the 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.