A small, circular opening made in the skull to remove blood clots in or on the brain, which usually form after an injury or accident. The special drill with a rounded tip used to make the hole is called a burr. During an emergency, burr hole may be made in the skull of a person with a severe head injury to relieve pressure on the brain. Burr holes can also be made to permit a biopsy of the brain, to drain an abscess or cyst, or to inject gas or medication.
A circular hole made in the skull using a drill with a rounded tip, called a burr. The operation is done to relieve pressure on the brain. Raised intracranial pressure is usually the result of blood collecting between the skull and the brain after a head injury. The presence of pus or an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid as a result of infection or tumours in the brain can also cause a potentially fatal rise in intracranial pressure which can be relieved by drilling a burr hole if medical measures such a mannitol infusions and steroids do not lower it. A neurosurgeon may make several burr holes when doing a craniotomy, a procedure in which a section of the skull is removed to provide access to the brain and surrounding tissues.
A specialized drill with a rounded tip, called a burr, is used to create a hole in the skull. This hole serves the purpose of relieving pressure on the brain, which often occurs as a result of internal bleeding within the skull, typically caused by a head injury. Burr holes may be performed as part of a craniotomy, where a section of the skull is removed to access the brain. These procedures can be life-saving in critical situations.