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, September 22, 2008

Skin blood flow, sympathetic vasoconstrictor reflexes and pain before and after surgical sympathectomy

Changes in vascular sensitivity to cold temperature and circulating catecholamines may be responsible for vascular abnormalities. Alternatively, RSD may be associated with an abnormal (side different) reflex pattern of sympathetic vasoconstrictor neurons due to thermoregulatory and emotional stimuli generated in the central nervous system. (3) After sympathectomy, denervation supersensitivity of blood vessels and intense vasomotion may be associated with recurrence of pain in some patients.
BARON R. (1) ; MAIER C. (2) ;
(1) Klinik für Neurologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, 24105 Kiel, ALLEMAGNE
(2) Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, 24105 Kiel, ALLEMAGNE
Elsevier, Amsterdam, PAYS-BAS (1975)