Bilateral anterior capsulotomy in a patient with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder: Case report

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a longlasting condition in which a person experiences uncontrollable and recurring thoughts (obsessions), engages in repetitive behaviors (compulsions), or both. Individuals with OCD have time-consuming symptoms that can cause significant distress or interfere with daily life. Various treatment methods are available for OCD, including pharmacotherapy and psychosurgery. The use of surgical methods depends on the severity of the disorder, which is measured and evaluated using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS).1 The Y-BOCS is the most commonly used measure for assessing OCD. It is a semi-structured interview that consists of a checklist of common obsessions and compulsions, along with a 10-item measure of symptom severity, which evaluates severity regardless of symptom subtype. A self-report version of the scale is also available. Total scores on the measure range from 0 to 40, with a score of 0-7 indicating subclinical symptoms, 8-15 indicating mild symptoms, 16-23 indicating moderate symptoms, 24-31 indicating severe symptoms, and 32-40 indicating extreme symptoms. The scale can also provide separate subscale scores for obsessions and compulsions (range: 0-20).2