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

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Gustatory sweating occurred in 38% of patients, and 16% of patients regretted the operation

Follow-up by questionnaire was possible in 94% of patients after a median of 26 months. Compensatory sweating occurred in 89% of patients and was so severe in 35% that they often had to change their clothes during the day. The frequency of compensatory sweating was not significantly different among the three groups, but severity was significantly higher after Th2-4 sympathectomy for axillary hyperhidrosis (p = 0.04). Gustatory sweating occurred in 38% of patients, and 16% of patients regretted the operation.

http://ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/78/2/427

Ann Thorac Surg 2004;78:427-431
© 2004 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Sympathectomy only as a last resort?

Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy is still practiced here but its use is decreasing and it's really only advocated as the last resort for palmar [hand] hyperhidrosis or facial blushing, and it's only rarely used for axillary [underarm] hyperhidrosis.
Dr Goodman, Melbourne, Australia
http://www.sweathelp.org/english/CMN_Article.asp?ArticleCode=64750038&EditionCode=77446114
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