1. Plural of leukotomy; surgical procedures in which nerve fibers in the brain are severed, historically used to treat severe mental illness.
Usage: medical; historical; also spelled 'leucotomies'

Examples

• Leukotomies were performed in psychiatric hospitals during the mid-20th century.
• The history of leukotomies represents a controversial chapter in medical ethics.
• Many patients who underwent leukotomies experienced severe side effects.
• Modern psychiatry has largely abandoned leukotomies in favor of pharmaceutical treatments.
• The documentary examined the legacy of leukotomies and their impact on patients.