Jean Riolan the Younger (1580 - 1657) and the Trepanation of the Mastoid Process: More Than a Suggestion?

The Parisian anatomist Jean Riolan the Younger (1580 - 1657) is usually associated with the first proposal to surgically open the mastoid for certain ear pathologies with varying degrees of accuracy. The purpose of this historical research is to go back to the original texts and try to understand what probably prompted Riolan the Younger to suggest the surgical opening of the mastoid, thus paying him the correct tribute and restoring him to his rightful place in the history of mastoid surgery.

Review of the published secondary literature on the history of the surgical opening of the mastoid, completed by a detailed study of most of the original works written by Riolan the Younger.

The study of Riolan the Younger's original texts shows that he suggested the perforation of the mastoid process for three different clinical situations: whistling in the ear, deafness at birth, and deafness related to a blockage of the eustachian tube. These three suggestions were made between 1629 and 1649. No one before him had made such suggestions. This study also shows that Riolan the Younger did not propose to open the mastoid process in case of ear infection.

Riolan the Younger must be considered as the true initiator of this surgery and thus must take its proper place in any history of surgical opening of the mastoid.