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

Monday, March 24, 2008

Sympathectomy Enhances Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide and Substance-P Expression

Ethridge, Richard T.; Supowit, Scott C.; Zhao, Huawei; DiPette, Donald J.
Institution
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX.

Permanent Sympathectomy Enhances Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide and Substance-P Expression In Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons.

Hypertension. 32(3):604, September 1998.



Substance P: In the central nervous system, substance P has been associated in the regulation of mood disorders, anxiety, stress, reinforcement, neurogenesis, respiratory rhythm, neurotoxicity, nausea / emesis and pain.
It also has effects as a potent vasodilator. This is caused by the release of nitric oxide from the endothelium. Its release can cause hypotension.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substance_P