# \-ectomy -ostomy -otomy, oh my!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ectomy-ostomy-otomy-oh-my/330997>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [November 14, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ectomy-ostomy-otomy-oh-my/330997 "2005-11-14T15:39:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ectomy-ostomy-otomy-oh-my/330997/1 "2005-11-14T15:39:45Z")

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[linky](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_425.html)

People may not do lobotomies, but people still do [some crazy things](http://www.bmezine.com/news/people/A10101/trepan/) to their heads.

The question is (applying newfound Cecil-knowledge) why is it “trepanation” and not “craniostomy”?

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**Author:** ![Foaming\_Cleanser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Foaming\_Cleanser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foaming_Cleanser)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ectomy-ostomy-otomy-oh-my/330997/2 "2005-11-14T16:11:55Z")

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> [@Mathochist](#):
>
> People may not do lobotomies, but people still do [some crazy things](http://www.bmezine.com/news/people/A10101/trepan/) to their heads.

This thing sounds like Friz Freleng was the director.

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ectomy-ostomy-otomy-oh-my/330997/3 "2005-11-14T16:37:44Z")

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Cecil also did a column on this: [What’s the story on trepanation?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/020906.html)

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**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ectomy-ostomy-otomy-oh-my/330997/4 "2005-11-15T01:01:37Z")

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> [@Mathochist](#):
>
> [linky](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_425.html)
> 
> People may not do lobotomies, but people still do [some crazy things](http://www.bmezine.com/news/people/A10101/trepan/) to their heads.
> 
> The question is (applying newfound Cecil-knowledge) why is it “trepanation” and not “craniostomy”?

Correctly, it **is** craniostomy, as in [“burr hole craniostomy.”](http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3909/is_199904/ai_n8828501)

Of course, you have to carefully differentiate it from craniotomy.