1. Any operation on the spinal cord. 2. Division of tracts of the spinal cord, which may be performed percutaneously (stereotactic c.) or after laminectomy (open c.) by various techniques such as incision or radio frequency coagulation. 3. Incision through the membranous portion of the vocal fold to widen the posterior glottis in bilateral vocal paralysis. [G. chorde, cord, + tome, a cutting]
- anterolateral c. division of the anterolateral quadrant of the spinal cord to section the spinothalamic tract. SYN: anterolateral tractotomy, spinal tractotomy, spinothalamic c..
- open c. c. (2).
- spinothalamic c. SYN: anterolateral c..
- stereotactic c. c. (2).
* * *
cor·dot·o·my or chor·dot·o·my kȯr-'dät-ə-mē n, pl -mies surgical division of a tract of the spinal cord for relief of severe intractable pain
* * *
n.
a surgical procedure for the relief of severe and persistent pain in the pelvis or lower limbs. The nerve fibres that transmit the sensation of pain to consciousness pass up the spinal cord in special tracts (the spinothalamic tracts). In cordotomy the spinothalamic tracts are severed in the cervical (neck) region.
* * *
cor·dot·o·my (kor-dotґə-me) [cordo- + -tomy] 1. section of a vocal cord. 2. interruption of the lateral spinothalamic tract of the spinal cord, usually in the anterolateral quadrant, for relief of intractable pain. Also spelled chordotomy.Medical dictionary. 2011.