Negative outcome after neurosurgery for refractory obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder

The authors sought to determine the long-term outcome of patients with severe and refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder spectrum (OCDS) following neurosurgery.

Five patients who underwent neurosurgery as a last-resort treatment for refractory OCDS were evaluated. On all patients, posttest data was obtained from the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, The Overvalued Ideas Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Pretest scores were available on three patients as well.

All patients failed to maintain initial improvements after surgery and relapsed. In addition, they became depressed with suicidal ideation or attempt.

Complications of neurosurgery are discussed, notably relapse and depression.