Skip to main content

Dorsal Root Ganglionectomy and Dorsal Rhizotomy

  • Reference work entry
Encyclopedia of Pain

Synonyms

Dorsal rhizotomy; Dorsal root ganglionectomy; Sensory ganglionectomy; Sensory rhizotomy

Definition

Dorsal root ganglionectomy and dorsal rhizotomy are neuroablative procedures, which interrupt peripheral sensory pathways. Dorsal root ganglionectomy is the surgical removal of the dorsal root ganglion of a spinal nerve. Dorsal rhizotomy is the transection of the dorsal root of a spinal nerve.

Characteristics

Anatomy

The primary sensory afferents project proximally (via the dorsal root) to form synapses in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord or the dorsal column nuclei, with pseudobipolar cell bodies of these axons being located in the dorsal root ganglion. The traditional belief, established by the “Law of Bell and Magendie” is that for a given spinal nerve, sensory and motor functions are segregated in the dorsal and ventral roots, respectively. However, it is now clear that afferent sensory fibers are also found in the ventral roots, with up to 29 % of fibers in human ventral...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 1,799.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Coggeshall, R. E., Applebaum, M. L., Fazen, M., Stubbs, T. B., 3rd, & Sykes, M. T. (1975). Unmyelinated axons in human ventral roots, a possible explanation for the failure of dorsal rhizotomy to relieve pain. Brain, 98, 157–166.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coggeshell, R. E. (1979). Afferent fibers in the ventral root. Neurosurgery, 4, 443–448.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y., Dorsi, M. J., Meyer, R. A., & Belzberg, A. J. (2000). Mechanical hyperalgesia after an L5 spinal nerve lesion in the rat is not dependent on input from injured afferents. Pain, 85(3), 493–502.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lozano, A. M., Vanderlinden, G., Bachoo, R., & Rothbart, P. (1998). Microsurgical C-2 ganglionectomy for chronic intractable occipital pain. Journal of Neurosurgery, 89, 359–365.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • North, R. B., Kidd, D. H., Campbell, J. N., & Long, D. M. (1991). Dorsal root ganglionectomy for failed back surgery syndrome: A 5-year follow-up study. Journal of Neurosurgery, 74, 236–242.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • North, R. B., Kidd, D. H., Zahurak, M., & Piantadosi, S. (1996). Specificity of diagnostic nerve blocks: A prospective, randomized study of sciatica due to lumbosacral spine disease. Pain, 65, 77–85.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wetzel, F. T., Phillips, M., Aprill, C. N., Bernard, T. N., & LaRocca, H. S. (1997). Extradural sensory rhizotomy in the management of chronic lumbar radiculopathy a minimum 2-year follow-up study. Spine, 22, 2283–2292.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson, H. A., & Chan, A. S. (2001). Sensory ganglionectomy: Theory, technical aspects, and clinical experience. Journal of Neurosurgery, 95, 61–66.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto, T., Takahashi, K., Staomi, H., & Ise, H. (1977). Origins of primary afferent fibers in the ventral spinal roots in the cat as demonstrated by the horseradish peroxidase method. Brain Research, 126, 350–354.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Young, R. F. (1996). Dorsal rhizotomy and dorsal root ganglionectomy. In J. R. Youmans (Ed.), Neurological surgery (4th ed., pp. 3442–3451). Philadelphia: WB Saunders.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Allan J. Belzberg .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this entry

Cite this entry

Belzberg, A.J., Dorsi, M.J. (2013). Dorsal Root Ganglionectomy and Dorsal Rhizotomy. In: Gebhart, G.F., Schmidt, R.F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pain. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28753-4_1187

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics