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

Friday, May 30, 2008

Increased blood flow reduces perfusion of the small blood vessels

The action of sympathectomy is felt to be an increase in collateral flow; the circulation cannot be restored to normal since the flow in the aggregate of small arteries is less than normal.
Miller, J. E.: Anatomy cf the Heart and Great
Vessels. Angiocardiographic Study. Texas State
J. Med. 47: 5 (Jan.), 1951.