Plural of cingulectomy; surgical procedures that remove part of the cingulate gyrus in the brain.
From cingul- (Latin cingulum meaning 'belt' or 'girdle') + -ectomy (Greek ektomē meaning 'cutting out'). The cingulate gyrus is so named because it forms a belt-like structure around the corpus callosum in the brain.
Neurosurgeons performed cingulectomies in the mid-20th century to treat severe depression and anxiety, though the procedure is rarely used today—it's a fascinating example of how medicine evolves when we better understand the brain's complexity.
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