Functional Neurosurgery for Psychiatric Disease / 대한정신약물학회지

Despite a long and controversial history, psychosurgery has persisted as a modern treatment option for some severe, medically intractable psychiatric disorders. The empirical basis of psychosurgery is weak because of the lack of well-designed investigations. Several carefully conducted studies in which independent evaluation has been made, however, show convincingly that highly selective stereotactic operations on the brain can benefit some carefully selected, chronically ill psychiatric patients with a low rate of unwanted side effects. The goal of this article is to review the current state of psychosurgery. In this review, the definition of psychosurgery, patient selection criteria, and anatomical and physiological rationales for anterior cingulotomy, subcaudate tractotomy, anterior capsulotomy, limbic leukotomy, vagus nerve stimulation and deep brain stimulation are discussed.

Surgical Experience of Stereotactic Psychosurgery for Psychiatric Diseases

The authors report surgical experiences in patients with severe psychiatric illness refractory to all other conventional treatments. All 5 patients in this series were referred from their own psychiatrists. One patient with aggressive-conductive disorder, who was cared for in a closed ward, underwent bilateral amygdalotomy and bifrontal leucotomy. Four patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder were treated by limbic leucotomy, which is a combination of subcaudate tractotomy and anterior cingulotomy. Target points were selected according to the individual symptoms of each patients. Target construction was performed under ventriculogram or computerized tomographic guidance, using a Hitchcock stereotactic frame. All the procedures were performed under local anesthesia, except for the patient with aggressive-conductive disorder for whom the surgery had to be performed under general anesthesia because of the incooperative nature of the patient. The result of each surgery was good without serious complication. During the follow-up period, all the patients were freed from disturbing symptoms and successfully returned to their premorbid social life. Psychosurgery can be helpful in certain patients with severe, chronic, disabling, and treatment-refractory psychiatric illness.

Surgical Experience of Stereotactic Psychosurgery for Psychiatric Diseases

The authors report surgical experiences in patients with severe psychiatric illness refractory to all other conventional treatments. All 5 patients in this series were referred from their own psychiatrists. One patient with aggressive-conductive disorder, who was cared for in a closed ward, underwent bilateral amygdalotomy and bifrontal leucotomy. Four patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder were treated by limbic leucotomy, which is a combination of subcaudate tractotomy and anterior cingulotomy. Target points were selected according to the individual symptoms of each patients. Target construction was performed under ventriculogram or computerized tomographic guidance, using a Hitchcock stereotactic frame. All the procedures were performed under local anesthesia, except for the patient with aggressive-conductive disorder for whom the surgery had to be performed under general anesthesia because of the incooperative nature of the patient. The result of each surgery was good without serious complication. During the follow-up period, all the patients were freed from disturbing symptoms and successfully returned to their premorbid social life. Psychosurgery can be helpful in certain patients with severe, chronic, disabling, and treatment-refractory psychiatric illness.