Bimedial Leucotomy in Obsessive-Compulsive Neurosis: A Controlled Serial Enquiry

There is considerable dispute over the value of frontal leucotomy in the treatment of mental illness. Uncontrolled studies have been numerous. Many report good results (Pippard, 1955; Scoville, 1960; Sargant and Slater, 1963; Birley, 1964; Sykes and Tredgold, 1964; Post, Rees and Schurr, 1968). Some are more sceptical (Barahal, 1958). Controlled investigations have been few, and their findings unfavourable. Robin (1958) observed no difference between the outcome of 198 patients who had a standard leucotomy for functional psychosis and an equal number of carefully, but retrospectively, matched controls. In another five-year controlled follow-up study involving 183 patients in each group no significant differences in outcome, as measured by the rate of hospital discharge was found. (McKenzie and Kaczanowski, 1964.)