Trepanation, the surgical procedure of creating a hole in the skull, can be replaced by various synonyms that describe the same action. The term "craniotomy" specifically refers to the surgical opening of the skull to access the brain. "Burr hole" is a smaller version of a craniotomy, where a single hole is drilled into the skull. "Trepination" is another term for trepanation, which can be used interchangeably. Additionally, "skull perforation" or "skull puncture" describe the opening of the skull, but are less commonly used. These synonyms are useful for describing this procedure in a medical context, and are important for understanding the different ways in which the skull can be operated on for various conditions.