CT-guided ablative stereotaxis without ventriculography.

A new technique is described which permits all types of stereotactic surgery to be done without ventriculography, with CT guidance only. The present series consists of 42 patients who underwent thalamotomy, posteromedial hypothalamotomy, dentatotomy or anterior capsulotomy for movement disorders, chronic pain, spasmodic torticollis or psychiatric illness. Postoperative lesion control with repeated CT showed that the method was accurate. The clinical results were considered to be better than those after previous ventriculography-guided surgery. It is concluded that ventriculography is no longer needed for stereotactic neurosurgery.