[Percutaneous cordotomy. Actual situation in pain surgery (author's transl)]

A personal experience with 138 percutaneous cordotomies is presented. The results and complications are compared to those of 49 open cordotomies at C1-C2 level. It is concluded that the percutaneous technique has better results and less complications. Nevertheless the percutaneous cordotomy is sometimes hazardous and presents some inconvenience. For this reason the author prefers in certain cases open cordotomy in a modified microsurgical technique which is described. It is outlined that in the authors opinion cordotomy should be restricted to cancer pain.