Cerebral Commissurotomy

THE SIZE and the location of the corpus callosum and anterior commissure suggest an important role in propagation of seizures from one side of the brain to the other. In 1940, Van Wagenen and Herren1cut the corpus callosum to various extent in two dozen patients; only one had complete section of both corpus callosum and anterior commissure. The subsequent report by Akelaitis2on these patients indicates that a number of them were improved. Complete section of corpus callosum and anterior commissure was therefore offered to an apparently hopeless epileptic having one to three generalized convulsions per week, with best medical control.3He has not had a generalized convulsion since that operation (Feb 6, 1962). Furthermore, although deficits in interhemispheric integration could be demonstrated under specialized testing conditions,4the patient's well-being and general behavior were improved. Because of his excellent response, five more patients underwent this