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

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Sympathectomy for chronic inflammation of the pancreas - Brisbane, AU

The operation, a thoroscopic
sympathectomy, is not a particu-
larly common procedure, but for
patients suffering from chronic
inflammation of the pancreas it
provides significant pain relief.
Thoroscopic sympathectomy
surgery is performed at the Royal
Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
about 15 to 20 times a year.

An official publication of Queensland Health Vol 9 No 1 February 2004