Psychiatric Bulletin (2002) 26: 276. doi: 10.1192/pb.26.7.276-b
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Psychiatric Bulletin (2002) 26: 276
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Neurosurgery for Mental Disorder Report of a Working Group of the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Research Committee
Council Report CR89 £7.50. 82 pp.
There have been a number of developments in the area of neurosurgery for
mental disorder (NMD) in recent years, including marked changes in clinical
delivery. This report was produced following extensive collection of evidence
from a wide range of individuals and bodies, and a comprehensive review of
published data on neurosurgery up to the end of 1999. The working group
adopted the following definition of NMD:
‘A surgical procedure for the destruction of brain tissue for the
purposes of alleviating specific mental disorders carried out by a
stereotactic or other method capable of making an accurate placement of the
lesion.’
The report discusses the future of NMD services, and concludes that steps
should be taken to conserve the current resources within established centres
in the UK. It suggests that this could be achieved through the establishment
of an independent national advisory committee, which would monitor all aspects
of NMD practice. A central task of the national advisory committee would be
the establishment of a multi-centre prospective audit, through the deployment
of standardised process and outcome measures. It could also be responsible for
the development of nationally agreed assessment and treatment protocols,
liaising with other international centres and researchers, and publishing an
annual report on NMD activity in the UK.
