Lobotomia Sequelae—The Side-Effects of Lobotomy, 1955–1983

The chapter first describes the late phase of European psychosurgery in the 1950s and onwards. In American studies on the history of psychosurgery, a decline in the use of lobotomy in this period is often noted. However, critical comments about lobotomy were rarely expressed in the Danish medical literature from the period 1955 to 1975. Rather, psychiatrists presented ideas about a revival of psychosurgery in this period. Mental hospital records also reveal that lobotomy was still being used on small groups of patients in the 1970s. This chapter also addresses the question of side-effects. This issue was also raised by the Danish Ombudsman in the late 1970s, leading to the discontinuation of psychosurgery in Denmark in 1983.