Frontal lobotomies have always been controversial, even when they were mainstream.
The surgery was risky and permanently altered the patient’s personality.
Many patients died and many more awoke with severe, life-changing side effects and disabilities.
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What Are the Frontal Lobes?
Thefrontal lobesmake up one of four distinct sections of the brain.
You have two frontal lobes, one on each side of your brain, right behind your forehead.
The frontal lobes are involved in making decisions, movement, speech, and shaping your personality.
Dr. Moniz’s lobotomies were initially considered successful.
The procedure became prevalent in the United States due to their efforts.
Dr. Watts did not agree with these decisions and stopped working with Dr. Freeman in protest.
She died three days after the operation and Freeman was banned from performing lobotomies shortly after.
How Lobotomies Were Done
Two main techniques were used to perform lobotomies.
The techniques differed in how the surgeon accessed the patient’s brain.
The patient was sedated withgeneral anesthesiagiven to them by ananesthesiologist.
Transorbital Lobotomy
Dr. Freeman’s approach was different in several ways.
Dr. Freeman also usedelectric shock therapyrather than general anesthesia to sedate patients.
Prefrontal lobotomies were done by drilling holes through the skull and destroying brain tissues with alcohol.
Transorbital lobotomies would involve drilling through the patient’s eye sockets and into the brain.
When she awoke from the procedure, she reported that she felt happy.
But six days later, she reported language difficulties, disorientation, and agitation.
Nonetheless, Dr. Freeman considered her lobotomy a success.
That said, an estimated three out of every 10 people died from Freeman’s transorbital lobotomies.
Many more came out of the procedure with permanent brain damage that left them physically and/or cognitively impaired.
Many people saw the procedure as a violation of the patients' rights.
In 1950, the Soviet Union banned the practice, saying it was contrary to the principles of humanity.
In both novels, lobotomies are represented as frighteningly brutal.
The conclusion was that properly performed psychosurgery could have positive effects, but only in extremely limited situations.
Unfortunately, by that point, the damage had already been done.
Lobotomies were far less frequently used and had been replaced by the rise of psychiatric medications.
Lobotomies posed the risk of serious complications, including bleeding in the brain, dementia, and death.
Medical ethics discussions eventually led to complete or virtually complete bans in many countries around the world.
The procedure involved cutting tissues in patients' brains with a tool called a leucotome.
In a transorbital lobotomy, the brain was accessed through the patient’s eye sockets.
Lobotomies caused death and devastating effects.
Many patients were left with permanent physical, mental, and emotional impairments.
In the mid 1900s, lobotomies were largely replaced by psychiatric medicine.
They were driven by a desire to help that, by todays standards, may seem misguided and misplaced.
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