leucotomy

[ loo-kot-uh-mee ]

noun

, Chiefly British Surgery.

, plural leu·cot·o·mies.

1. prefrontal lobotomy.

leucotomy

/ luːˈkɒtəmɪ /

noun

1. the surgical operation of cutting some of the nerve fibres in the frontal lobes of the brain for treating intractable mental disorders See also lobotomy

Word History and Origins

Origin of leucotomy¹

First recorded in 1935–40; leuco- + -tomy

Word History and Origins

Origin of leucotomy¹

C20: from leuco- (with reference to the white brain tissue) + -tomy

Example Sentences

Later, after Marsh had qualified as a neurosurgeon, a modification of the procedure, known as a limbic leucotomy, was still in use.

From BBC

"The actual bilateral prefrontal leucotomy can be done by a properly trained neurosurgeon in six minutes and seldom takes more than 10 minutes."

From BBC