The amount of compensatory sweating depends on the patient, the damage that the white rami communicans incurs, and the amount of cell body reorganization in the spinal cord after surgery.
Other potential complications include inadequate resection of the ganglia, gustatory sweating, pneumothorax, cardiac dysfunction, post-operative pain, and finally Horner’s syndrome secondary to resection of the stellate ganglion.
www.ubcmj.com/pdf/ubcmj_2_1_2010_24-29.pdf

After severing the cervical sympathetic trunk, the cells of the cervical sympathetic ganglion undergo transneuronic degeneration
After severing the sympathetic trunk, the cells of its origin undergo complete disintegration within a year.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0442.1967.tb00255.x/abstract

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

article - cerebral damage, sympathectomy

Complications of endoscopic sympathectomy
Alan E. P. Cameron
Abstract
Four cases are presented in which complications occurred during or after thoracic endoscopic
sympathectomy (TES). In one patient inappropriate TES resulted in disabling hyperhidrosis. In one
patient laceration of the subclavian artery required major surgery. In two cases intraoperative
cerebral damage occurred. Training in TES is essential.
Copyright © 1998 Taylor and Francis