Is a neurosurgical procedure that selectively destroys problematic nerve roots, most often to relieve pain symptoms or neuromuscular diseases.
The idea of rhizotomy to treat “violent neuralgic pains” was first suggested in 1888 by a New York neurologist named Dr. Charles Dana in a letter to Dr. Robert Abbe. This idea was put into action by Dr. Abbe on a select few patients. He found that, indeed, cutting nerves relieved spasticity and the accompanying pain but also resulted in loss of needed sensation and function (Moss and Manwaring 1992)
Abbe performed C6-C8 posterior spinal rhizotomies in two separate procedures, with good results. Just as significantly, during these procedures, Abbe stimulated the nerve roots to determine their functions; this was the first instance of intraoperative localization and stimulation 1).