- C Probst: Neurosurgical Clinic, Kantonsspital, Aarau, Switzerland.
Using an improved microsurgical technique, cordotomy was carried out by the cervicothoracic route in 20 patients with persistent radicular pain due to epi-/intradural fibrosis following operation for lumbar disc herniation. 65% of them had good long-term results with respect to radicular pain (follow-up period 6-132 months; mean 66 months). Permanent severe motor impairment was not observed. In patients with severe pain of benign organic origin microsurgical cordotomy can be considered as a "last resort".