[Results of lumbar gangliectomy interventions. Report of cases and current indications]

The role of lumbar gangliectomy is examined by analysing cases of vascular interventions on the aorto-ilaco-femoral sector at the Department of Surgical Clinical Medicine II and at the Department of Surgical Anatomy and Surgery Studies of the University of Milan during the period 1966-1973. The steady, marked decrease in the incidence of operations on the Vegetative Nervous System, parallely with a notable rise in reconstructive operations is noted. The extension of indications to reconstructive operations alters the attitude to be assumed with regard to lumbar gangliectomy. Analysis of long-term results of indirect operations, however, confirms the validity of the method as a function of the restrictive attitude of present-day indications.