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, October 15, 2009

Changes in hemodynamics of the carotid and middle cerebral arteries

Jeng and associates observed an increase in cerebral blood flow after T2 sympathectomy, and they suggested the possibility of using such a surgical approach to improve cerebral blood flow in patients with cerebral vascular insufficiency.
Sympathectomy for Pain
ANTONIO A. F. DE SALLES I JOHN PATRICK JOHNSON


Patients who underwent T-2 sympathectomy demonstrated a significant increase in blood flow volume and flow velocities of the CAs and MCA, especially on the left side. Asymmetry of sympathetic influence on the hemodynamics of the CAs and MCA was noted. The usefulness of sympathectomy for the treatment of ischemic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease deserves further investigation.
Jeng JS, Yip PK, Huang SJ, et al: Changes in hemodynamics of the carotid and middle cerebral arteries before and after endoscopic sympathectomy in patients with palmar hyperhidrosis: Preliminary results.
J Neurosurg 90:463–467, 1999