Craniotomy is defined as what?

• A. Skull is taken out and put back in
• B. Removal of skull portion without replacement
• C. Removal of brain tissue
• D. Draining CSF from ventricles

Answer: (A)

Craniotomy means temporarily removing a piece of the skull to access the brain and then putting that bone back in place during closure. This approach allows the surgeon to reach structures inside the skull without permanently leaving a gap in the skull. If the skull portion is removed and not replaced, that would be a craniectomy, which is different. Removing brain tissue would be a brain resection, and draining CSF from the ventricles is a ventricular drainage procedure, not craniotomy.