Surgical treatments for anorexia nervosa

Abstract

Anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe psychiatric disorder Psychiatric disorder with high rates of morbidity and mortality. An estimated 21% of patients experience a chronic course despite treatment with the best available medications and behavioral therapies. Existing data suggest that lesioning and deep brain stimulation Deep brain stimulation can benefit a large proportion (ranging from 60 to 80%) of patients with medically intractable AN. Long-term serious adverse events are very infrequent. Functional neuroimaging Neuroimaging studies have increased our understanding of the mechanisms of disease development and therapeutic action. At our institution, we grade AN on a four-point scale based on patient clinical characteristics and our surgical experience over the past 8 years. This scale is particularly useful for guiding the selection of surgical procedures. Such treatment options include deep brain stimulation or lesioning of the nucleus accumbens Nucleus Accumbens, anterior capsulotomy, and anterior cingulotomy. Data suggest that surgical treatment is a viable option for intractable AN, and can alleviate suffering and improve the quality of life Quality of life of patients with these disabling disorders.