[Percutaneous cervical anterolateral cordotomy (author's transl)].

A brief history of percutaneous high cervical anterolateral cordotomy is followed by a review of the anatomy and neurophysiology of the spinothalamic tract. Then a report is presented of the results of 40 percutaneous cordotomies carried out on 32 patients at the Department of Neurosurgery, University of Graz. Operative procedure, indications and advantages of this functional operation are discussed.