(formerly) the surgical removal of part of the outer layer of the brain in order to relieve certain psychiatric disorders
topectomy in American English
(təˈpektəmi)
nounWord forms: plural-mies
Surgery
excision of part of the cerebral cortex for the relief of unmanageable pain or esp. as a treatment for certain mental disorders
Word origin
[top- + -ectomy]-ectomy is a combining form meaning “excision” of the part specified by the initial element,used in the formation of compound words. Other words that use the affix -ectomy include: atherectomy, endarterectomy, laminectomy, lymphadenectomy, vitrectomy