Use of leucotomy for intractable anorexia nervosa: a long-term follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
We studied the long-term outcomes of intractable anorexia nervosa treated with leukotomy and specialized psychotherapy over 20 years ago.


METHODS
All traceable subjects were interviewed using the Eating Disorders Examination (EDE) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID). They also completed questionnaires. Detailed histories were taken.


RESULTS
Four of five female subjects were traced. Their cases had been severe, with failure of previous intensive psychotherapy and now with high risk of death from terminal inanition. One patient had committed suicide, whereas the others enjoyed a reasonable quality of life. Persistent core psychopathology was evident, but patients had not succumbed to weight loss. All suffered depression and anxiety-related disorders, but endorsed their treatment, which had allowed sustained weight gain by release of appetitive behavior, provision of a license to change, and alleviation of phobic anxiety, allowing psychotherapeutic engagement.


CONCLUSIONS
We argue that these outcomes are relatively favorable and would not have been possible without this latter engagement in specialist psychotherapy to address burgeoning panic at unavoidable weight gain.
Morgan
J F
JF
Department of Psychiatry, St. George's Hospital Medical School, Tooting, London, United Kingdom.
Crisp
A H
AH
D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011612:Psychosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods