Referring a patient for psychosurgery?
Abstract
Referring a patient for psychosurgery? Perminder Sachdev he ambivalent relationship of the psychiatric profession with psychosurgery (or âneurosurgery for psychiatric disordersâ) continues. While a number of psychiatrists regard it as a treatment of the past at a time of misguided enthusiasm, others continue to consider it to be a useful option in the management of some severe and intractable disorders. Whenever we have surveyed the published literature or the opinions of professionalsâ, we have found that most psychiatrists and neurosurgeons favour the continuation of its availability with appropriate safeguards, in particular its supervision by multidisciplinary review boards. Our survey also suggests that the Neuropsychiatric Institute (NPI) at The Prince Henry Hospital, Sydney, is the only centre within Australia with a currently active interest in this treatment procedure. At this centre, an average of two operations have been performed annually over the last few years. Given the small numbers, it is unlikely that expertise in the procedure can be maintained at more than one centre. It is therefore likely that a small number of patients will continue to be referred to the NPI from other Australian states and New Zealand for consideration for psychosurgery. This article attempts to acquaint