1. a surgical procedure in which nerve fibers in the brain are severed, formerly used to treat severe mental illness
Usage: medical; historical; also spelled lobotomy

Examples

• The leukotomy procedure was widely performed in the mid-20th century before its serious side effects became apparent.
• Doctors now recognize that leukotomy caused permanent damage to patients' personalities and cognitive abilities.
• The history of leukotomy represents a dark chapter in psychiatric medicine.
• Modern psychiatry has abandoned leukotomy in favor of medication and therapy.
• Survivors of leukotomy often suffered from severe emotional and behavioral changes.