Transorbital lobotomy

Transorbital lobotomy is a form of lobotomy, a neurosurgical procedure that involves severing connections in the brain's prefrontal lobe. The transorbital lobotomy was developed in the 1940s by Walter Freeman, a prominent American neurologist and psychiatrist, as a simpler, less invasive alternative to traditional lobotomy procedures.

History[edit | edit source]

The transorbital lobotomy was first performed in 1946 by Walter Freeman, who sought to create a procedure that could be performed quickly and without the need for a traditional operating room or anesthesia. Freeman was inspired by an Italian psychiatrist, Amarro Fiamberti, who had developed a method of accessing the brain through the eye sockets. Freeman adapted Fiamberti's technique, using a thin, pointed instrument known as an orbital clasp or "ice pick" to penetrate the thin bone at the back of the eye socket and reach the frontal lobes.

Procedure[edit | edit source]

In a transorbital lobotomy, the patient is first rendered unconscious through the use of electroconvulsive therapy or a similar method. The orbital clasp is then inserted through the eye socket and used to sever the connections between the prefrontal lobe and the rest of the brain. The procedure is typically performed on both sides of the brain.

Criticism and Decline[edit | edit source]

The transorbital lobotomy was controversial from its inception. Critics argued that the procedure was crude and inhumane, and that it often resulted in severe cognitive and emotional damage. Despite these criticisms, the procedure was widely used in the United States and other countries during the 1940s and 1950s.

By the 1960s, the use of the transorbital lobotomy had declined significantly. This was due in part to the development of new psychiatric drugs, which offered a less invasive means of treating mental illness. In addition, the procedure was increasingly seen as unethical and was banned in many countries.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Today, the transorbital lobotomy is generally viewed as a dark chapter in the history of psychiatry. However, it also played a role in the development of modern neurosurgery and the understanding of the brain's function and structure.