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 21, 2009

complications that can be catastrophic

Lumbar sympathectomy has been employed for over 75 years for the treatment of a variety of painful and circulatory conditions in the lower extremities. Chemical sympathectomy decreased the need for open surgical sympathectomy with less morbidity and mortality but still has risks and complications that can be catastrophic. The development of precise neurolysis with radiofrequency lesioning significantly decreased the risks of sympathectomy with results comparable to chemical and surgical neuroablation. Radiofrequency sympathectomy also allows repeat procedures without the risk of distorting the original anatomy.

Percutaneous radiofrequency lumbar sympathectomy
Techniques in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management, Volume 8, Issue 1, Pages 53-56