Stereotaxic Thalamotomy for the Relief of Intractable Pain CEM-thalamotomy

• Published in: The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine Vol. 85; no. 3; pp. 286 - 298
• Main Authors: Tsubokawa, Takashi, Urabe, Miyoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Tohoku University Medical Press 01.01.1965
• Subjects: Electroencephalography; Geriatrics; Humans; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasms - therapy; Neurologic Manifestations; Neurosurgery; OldMedline; Pain; Pain, Intractable; Palliative Care; Pathology; Stereotaxic Techniques; Thalamus; PALLIATIVE TREATMENT; PAIN; THALAMUS; GERIATRICS; ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY; NEOPLASM METASTASIS; PATHOLOGY; NEOPLASM THERAPY; NEUROLOGIC MANIFESTATIONS; NEUROSURGERY; STEREOTAXIC TECHNICS
• ISSN: 0040-8727; 1349-3329
• DOI: 10.1620/tjem.85.286

Lesions were made in the nucleus centrum medianum by a stereotaxic technique in 15 cases suffering from intractable pain. The lesson was made unilaterally in 8 and bilaterally in 7. All of the cases were relieved of intract-able pain immediately after the operation without any loss of other sensa-tion. However, unilateral thalamotomy showed a transient effect, while bilateral thalamotomy showed a persistent sufficient effect, for relief of diffuse, poorly localized pain. There was no operative death or severe complication in this series. After the operation of bilateral CEM-thalamotomy, no change in the EEG was seen. No alteration of consciousness was observed except in 2 eases whose lesion extended to the nucleus parafascicularis or pretectal region. This operative procedure, CEM-thalamotomy, was an appropriate operation for intractable pain caused by malignant tumor.