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

Sunday, October 11, 2009

ETS for palmar HH results in systemic (non-localized) changes of the ANS function

In contrast to compensatory sweating in other parts of the body after T2-3 sympathetomy, improvement in plantar sweating was shown in 72% and worsened symptoms in 6% of patients. The intraoperative plantar skin temperature change and perioperative SSR demonstrated a correlation between these changes.
Associated change in plantar temperature and sweating after transthoracic endoscopic T2-3 sympathectomy for palmar hyperhidrosis.

Chen HJ, Liang CL, Lu K.

Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung University and Medical Center at

Kaohsiung, Taiwan. chenmd@ms8.hinet.net
PMID: 11453433 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]