1. surgical instruments with circular cutting edges used to remove sections of bone, especially from the skull
Usage: medical

1. performs surgery using a trephine to remove a circular section of bone
Usage: medical; third person singular present

Examples

• The surgeon carefully selected different sized trephines for the procedure.
• Modern trephines are much more precise than ancient versions.
• The neurosurgeon trephines the skull to relieve pressure on the brain.
• Archaeological evidence shows that ancient civilizations used primitive trephines.
• The doctor trephines a small hole to access the affected area.
• Medical students learn to handle trephines with extreme care.
• The procedure requires sterile trephines and steady hands.