Endoscopic Electrocautery of the Thoracic Sympathetic Chain A Minimally Invasive Way to Treat Palmar Hyperhidrosis

Abstract

Four hundred and fifty patients with palmar hyperhidrosis have undergone endoscopic thoracic sympathetic electrocautery since 1987 in our department. The procedure requires only minor modifications of standard laparoscopic and urological equipment. The median operating time for a bilateral procedure was 31 minutes (15-120), hospital stay was 1 day postoperatively (1-8), and patients returned to work within 4 (1 -40) days. Complications in the whole material were few and mild, pneumothorax (n = 2), haemothorax (n = 1), and Horner's syndrome (n - 1). Five patients required reoperation (four because of primary failure to destroy the nerve and one for recurrent symptoms). The first consecutive 130 of these patients have been followed up by a questionnaire. At follow-up (median 196 days after operation, range 35-1419) all patients but three, who are awaiting reoperation were satisfied with the result. The discomfort and side effects of the operation were in most cases mild and short. This technique makes it possible to widen the indications for operation for people with palmar hyperhidrosis.

Key Words:

• sympathectomy
• sympathicotomy
• sweat glands
• minimally invasive surgery
• palmar hyperhidrosis
• electrocoagulation