A new discovery on ear surgery was unearthed in a Spanish tomb. According to the study, the artifact was part of an ancient operation 5,300 years ago.
Earliest Mastoidectomy in Burgos, Spain
Skull under study found at El Pendón site. Superior: Frontal and lateral view of the skull. Inferior: Skull with mastoidectomy in situ in the context of the megalithic ossuary.ÑFotógrafos Photography Study / Scientific Reports (Sci Rep)
The specimen is a skull recorded from a megalithic tomb back in the town of Dolmen of El Pendon, located in Burgos in Spain. The site where the skull was excavated is known for archaeological finds related to ritual-funerary practices.
The Spanish surgical skull is theorized as once part of the anatomy of an ancient woman who has an estimated age of 35 to 50 years.
According to the study, the individual may have participated in two sets of surgical operations called a mastoidectomy. This type of surgery is commonly implemented to treat an infection from the depths of the skull, right behind the ear, and inside the mastoid bone.
According to the authors of the research, the skull surprisingly survived despite the operation being performed as early as 5,300 years ago. If this had been the case, the person might be a patient of the first documented success in ear surgery.
Scholars from the University of Valladolid carried out the research. According to a report by DailyMail, the authors said that this recent discovery would be the earliest ear surgery operation that was conducted throughout our history.
The infection from the ancient woman might have resulted in severity such as hearing loss, meningitis, and even death if ever the mastoidectomy intervention was not relayed to her.
The skull was first excavated back in July 2018, but a thorough examination and its results were pieced together just this year.
University of Valladolid Department of Prehistory and Archaeology expert Manuel Rojo-Guerra, who authored the study, said that the person may have been around 35 to 50 years of age. Her skull was evidently administered with two bilateral perforations that are compatible with two mastoidectomies.
The mastoidectomy operation might have been performed by authentic specialists or other ancient experts that might know of early anatomy as well as therapeutic studies, Rojo-Guerra explained.
The research shows that the woman survived the procedure due to the physical signs of regenerated bones surrounding the puncture points that were inflicted during the surgery.
The resorption and regeneration were detected through the small depressions that are dented to the bone's surface. This irregularity is called Howship's lacunae, which can be a product of the cleaning process for the treated area and the bone regenerations under osteoblasts, according to the authors.
Rojo-Guerra said that the two types of structures discovered under their microscopic observation guarantee that the woman possibly survived the ancient surgery at least one month after the intervention.
Alongside the skull, the experts recovered a sheet of flint at the Spanish tomb. The materials were said to have traces of cut bone and were reheated multiple times to reach intense heat. The experts noted that the specialists carried out the methodology to perform with inauthentic cautery and surgical instruments.
The skull's neurocranium is still intact despite other parts of its entirety being missing. The woman's teeth were missing, and her throat's thyroid cartilage was completely ossified already. The nasal bone, cheekbones, and lower maxilla were found to be in their original place, reports The History Blog.
The remains were found facing the south of the region and were located at the right side near the entrance of the burial chamber. The Dolmen of El Pendon site is an archaeological hotspot yielding remains of approximately 100 individuals that experienced pathological issues and injuries during ancient times.
The tomb dated between 3,800 and 3,000 BC and was utilized for early medical practices for nearly a century. Both symbolic and ritualistic complexities are abundant in the site.
The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports, titled "The first otologic surgery in a skull from El Pendón site (Reinoso, Northern Spain)."
