A surgeon operates on the lumbar nervous system to relieve intractable pain in a terminal cancer patient.What specific part of the nervous system would be cut?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The dorsal root carries sensory information from the peripheral nervous system to the spinal cord. By cutting the dorsal root, the sensory information from the cancerous area would not be transmitted to the brain, thus relieving the intractable pain. It is important to note that this procedure, known as dorsal rhizotomy or dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) lesioning, is a palliative measure and will not cure the underlying disease.

A Surgeon Operates on the Lumbar Nervous System to Relieve