Summary
Stereotactic pontine spinothalamic tractotomy was performed on eight patients with severe pain due to malignancy. The procedure enables high levels of analgesia to be obtained with less risk of respiratory and micturition disorders than percutaneous or open cordotomy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, R. D., Munro, D., Surgical division of the spinothalamic tract in the medulla. Surg. Gynec. Obstet.78 (1944), 591–599.
Afshar, F., Watkins, E. S., Yap, J. C., Stereotactic atlas of the human brainstem and cerebellar nuclei, pp. 80–88. Raven Press 1978.
Barbera, J., Barcia-Salorio, J. L., Broseta, J., Stereotaxic pontine spinothalamic tractotomy. Surg. Neurol.11 (1979), 111–114.
Beattie, J., Brown, G. R., Long, C. N. H., Physiological and anatomical evidence for existence of nerve tracts connecting the thalamus with spinal sympathetic centres. J. Soc. London, Series B106 (1930), 253–275.
Belmusto, L., Brown, E., Owens, G., Clinical observations on respiratory and vasomotor disturbance as related to cervical cordotomy. J. Neurosurg.20 (1963), 225–232.
Birkinfield, R., Fisher, R. G., Successful treatment of causalgia of upper extremity with medullary spinothalamic tractotomy: case report and review of literature. J. Neurosurg.20 (1963), 303–311.
Bradley, W. E., Conway, C. J., Bladder representation in the pontine-mesencephalic reticular formation. Experimental Neurology16 (1966), 237–249.
Cassinari, V., Pagni, C. A., Central pain: A neurological survey, p. 55. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1969.
Crawford, A. S., Medullary spinothalamic tractotomy for relief of intractable pain in upper levels. Arch. Surg. Chicago55 (1947), 523–529.
Crawford, A. S., Medullary spinothalamic tractotomy for high intractable pain. J. Maine Med. Ass.51 (1969), 233–235.
Crawford, A. S., Knighton, R. S., Further observations on medullary spinothalamic tractotomy. J. Neurosurg.10 (1953), 113–121.
D'Erico, A., Intramedullary spinothalamic tractotomy. J. Neurosurg.7 (1950), 2294–2298.
Hitchcock, E. R., Stereotaxic pontine spinothalamic tractotomy. J. Neurosurg.39 (1973), 746–752.
Hitchcock, E. R., Leece, B., Somatotopic representation of the respiratory pathways in the cervical cord of man. J. Neurosurg.27 (1967), 320–329.
Hitchcock, E. R., Newsome, D., Salama, M., The somatotopic representation of micturition pathways in the cervical cord of man. Br. J. Surg.61 (1974), 395–401.
Klemme, R., Relief of pain by section of the spinothalamic tract at the level of the Olivary nucleus. J. Int. Coll. Surg.12 (1949), 754–756.
Orville, A., Smith, J. R., Clarke, N., Central autonomic pathways. A study in functional neuroanatomy. J. Comp. Neurol.3 (1964), 399–406.
Plum, F., Posner, J. B., The diagnosis of stupor and coma, ed. 2, p. 26. Philadelphia: FA Davis Co. 1972.
Schwartz, H. G., O'Leary, J. L., Section of the spinothalamic tract in the medulla with observations on the pathway for pain. Surgery9 (1942), 183–193.
Sweet, W. H., Mark, V. H., Hamlin, H., Radiofrequency lesions in the central nervous system of man and cat: including case reports of eight bulbar pain-tract interruptions. J. Neurosurg.17 (1960), 213–225.
White, J. C., Spinothalamic tractotomy in the medulla oblongata: An operation for the relief of intractable neuralgias of the occiput, neck and shoulder. Arch. Surg.43 (1941), 113–127.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hitchcock, E., Sotelo, M.G. & Kim, M.C. Analgesic levels and technical method in stereotactic pontine spinothalamic tractotomy. Acta neurochir 77, 29–36 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01402302
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01402302