"Sympathectomy is a technique about which we have limited knowledge, applied to disorders about which we have little understanding." Associate Professor Robert Boas, Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australasian College of Anaesthetists and the Royal College of Anaesthetists, The Journal of Pain, Vol 1, No 4 (Winter), 2000: pp 258-260
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, July 31, 2010
Differences in the injury/sprouting response
Brain, Behavior & Immunity; Feb2009, Vol. 23 Issue 2, p276-285, 10p
Phantom sweating occurs frequently after sympathectomy
Clinical Autonomic Research; Dec2008, Vol. 18 Issue 6, p352-354, 3p,
Similar pathological effects of sympathectomy and hypercholesterolemia on arterial smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Orthostatic syncope can occur after a spinal cord injury or sympathectomy
Vasovagal syncope can occur in heart transplant patients, suggesting that the Bezold-Harisch reflex or vagal stimulation plus sympathetic withdrawal as the only factor may be a somewhat simplistic explanation, and that other variables may also play a role.
Although there are many causes of cardiovascular syncope, the final common mechanism is a decrease in cardiac output causing a decrease in cerebral perfusion.
Orthostatic syncope can occur after a spinal cord injury or sympathectomy, which eliminates
the vasopressor reflexes, and in patients on certain medications, commonly antihypertensive and
vasodilator drugs.
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Syncope+in+Pediatric+Patients-a0217945432
neuralgia is a severe complication since pain can be permanent
Between March and October 1986, 33 consecutive patients underwent unilateral lumbar sympahtectomy in the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgical Unit of the Catholic University in Louvain, Belgium. Ten patients experienced post-sympathectomy neuralgia.
Doppler studies and thermography were used to assess the efficacy of the operation in improving arterial supply to the lower limb on the side of sympathectomy. In all ten cases, neuralgia appeared between the ninth and 30th postoperative days, with mean of 16 days.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/q04711t06j164206/
Effects of sympathectomy on skin and muscle microcirculation during dorsal column stimulation
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1758600
hyperhidrosis is not related with social phobia or personality disorder
http://www.online.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=ShowFulltext&ArtikelNr=99589&Ausgabe=232867&ProduktNr=224164
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
sympathectomy syndrome:
Injuries to the sympathetic chain may result in retrograde ejaculation (in males) or a sympathectomy syndrome with disturbed capability for vasoconstriction. This may result in the feeling of a hot (ipsilateral) or cold (contralateral) leg or foot, respectively. (p. 358)
Spinal disorders: fundamentals of diagnosis and treatment
By Norbert Boos, Max AebiSpringer 2008
animals that underwent late sympathectomy had significantly increased arthritis scores compared with controls
Monday, July 26, 2010
Immunoglobulin producing cells in the rat dental pulp after unilateral sympathectomy
Neuroscience
Volume 136, Issue 2, 2005, Pages 571-577
Recurrence
European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery; Sep2008, Vol. 34 Issue 3, p514-519, 6p
Sunday, July 25, 2010
paraplegia as a postoperative complication
After a search of the literature and a number of informal inquiries among our colleagues, we were surprised to find that such an occurrence is not as unusual as we had believed. Bassett, in 1948,1 reporting on his experience with sympathectomy in the treatment of hypertension, stated: 'We
have had four cases of thrombosis of the anterior spinal artery with resultant permanent residual ischemic myelitis.
Poppen, in a personal communication, has stated that, although this complication has not
occurred in his own experienoe, three cases have been brought to his attention in which
paraplegia followed thoraco-lumbar sympathectomy for hypertension. Therefore, we have knowledge of eight cases in which such a catastrophe followed an elective operation which has enjoyed wide usageduring the past decade.
Annals of Surgery, M a r c h, 1 9 5 4
Spinal Cord Infarction caused by sympathectomy
Author: Thomas F Scott, MD, Professor, Program Director, Department of Neurology, Drexel University College of Medicine; Director, Allegheny MS Treatment Center
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Updated: Aug 21, 2009
cerebral edema is worsened by sympathectomy, which causes increased cerebral blood flow
Role of hte Hypothalamus in Integration of behavior and Cardiovascular Responses (p. 60)
Hypertension: a companion to Brenner and Rector's the kidney
By Suzanne Oparil, Michael A. WeberElsevier Health Sciences, 2005 - Medical - 872 pages
depletion of brain noradrenaline levels causes a disturbance in cerebral microvascular tone
It is suggested that depletion of brain noradrenaline levels causes a disturbance in cerebral microvascular tone and renders the cerebral blood vessels more vulnerable to hypertension.
Journal of Neurosurgery, December 1991 Volume 75, Number 6
Unilateral removal of the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) results in the reinnervation of the denervated cerebral vessels by sprouting nerves
Chemical sympathectomy of the mature rat rather than the neonate also leads to sensory hyperinnervation, although there are a few differences. In the lung, sympahtectomy induces a marked increase in CGRP-immunoreactive nerve density around the ariways, blood vessels, and also in the vicinity of the neuroepithelial bodies of the pulmonary epithelium.
Following transection of the preganglionic autonomic nerves or in spinal cord injury, there are marked changes in the nerves that remain. Such changes can be manifested not only as nerve growth and changes in neurotransmitter expression, but remarkably, in reorganization of nerve pathways and their function.Since sprouting is a common response of the nerves that remain following nerve injury, the close association of the different divisions of the autonomic nervous system in the pelvic region opens up the possibility for new connections to form new pathways. Spinal cord injury can unmask spinal reflexes that are normally inhibited by input from higher centers in the brain.
Handbook of the autonomic nervous system in health and disease
By Liana Bolis, J. Licinio, Stefano GovoniInforma Health Care, 2003 - Medical - 677 pages
adverse cardiac and cerebral intraoperative events secondary to hypoxia from presumed hypoventilation
The choice whether to use carbon dioxide insufflation versus ambient pressure coupled with lung deflation and a fan refractor is surgeon specific. There are case reports of intraoperative cardiac arrest requiring resuscitation when carbon dioxide insufflation was used, with speculation that an increased mediastinal or intrathoracic pressure resulted in a decreased stroke volume and subsequent arrhytmia.
Neurosurgical operative atlas: Spine and peripheral nerves
By Christopher E. Wolfla, Daniel K. ResnickThieme, 2007 - Medical - 424 pages
alterations in the three-phase bone scan in acute CRPS are similar to those resulting from sympathectomy
Postoperatively, no vasoconstriction due to deep inspiration (vasoconstrictor reflex) could be elicited at the affected extremity, indicatin complete sympathetic denervation. Additionally the temperature at the affected hand increased. After 4 weeks, skin temperature decreased, without signs of reinnervation. This denervation supersensitivity was associated with recurrence of pain and is thought to rely on a vascular supersensitivity to could and circulating catecholamines.
Interestingly, alterations in the three-phase bone scan in acute CRPS are similar to those resulting from sympathectomy without being related to the success of the intervention. (p.370)
The neurological basis of pain
By Marco PappagalloMcGraw-Hill Professional, 2005 - Medical - 673 pages
Saturday, July 24, 2010
sympathectomy per se may sensitize peripheral nociceptors and lead to neuralgia
Peripheral Receptor Targets for Analgesia: Novel Approaches to Pain Management
By Brian E. CairnsJohn Wiley and Sons, 2009 - Medical
Compensatory hyperhidrosis reported in 0% to 74.5% of cases
cerebral edema following CO2 insufflation
The most common complications of sympathectomy are related to manipulation of the autonomic nervous system.
Injury to the stellate ganglion is caused by mechanical or thermal damage to T1 during dissection. In order to prevent this injury, precise identification of ribs 1-4 is required prior to dissection of the sympathetic ganglion at T2; no dissection is performed above this level. Furthermore, excessive nerve traction is avoided during dissection. Finally, the use of bipolar cautery or ultrasonic dissection will prevent current diffusion to the stellate ganglion.
Neuralgia along the ulnar aspect of the upper limb may occur after sympathectomy, which usually resolves within 6 weeks. (p.250)
Complications in cardiothoracic surgery: avoidance and treatment
By Alex G. Little
Wiley-Blackwell, 2004 - Medical - 454 pages"Sympathectomy is another animal."
Sympathectomy also potentially precludes future new treatments from working. (p.41)
A recent review article by (Johns Hopkins Hospital anesthesiologist and medical school professor) Srinivasa Raja covering all previous articles on sympathectomy showed that 10 percent of sympathectomies done for various reasons have complications. The complication rate for sympathectomy done to treat neuropathic (i.e., RSD) pain is 30 percent. A lot of these people can have a return of pain, and if they do, you can no longer do a sympathetic block to get rid of it. Then you have got these people in terrible pain that you cannot treat. And so, in my book, surgical sympathectomy is out. (p.81)
Positive Options for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD):
Elena JurisPost-Sympathectomy pain (neuralgia)
Textbook of orthopedics and trauma
Sympathectomy considered a last resort or end-of-the-road treatment
Skeletal trauma: basic science, management, and reconstruction, Volume 1
Elsevier Health Sciences, 2003 - 2768 pagesBy Bruce D. Browner
lung and nerve problems
http://awurl.com/4CZkP4bNh
Medical Author: Alan Rockoff, MD
Medical Editor: Frederick Hecht, MD, FAAP, FACMG
Medical Reviewer: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Horner syndrome continues to occur in about 5% to 10% of cases after upper thoracic sympathectomy for palmar or axillary sympatholysis
Friday, July 23, 2010
Cutaneous innervation in man before and after lumbar sympathectomy: Evidence for interruption of both sensory and vasomotor nerve fibres
Coventry, Brendon John Walsh, J. A. | |
Citation: | ANZ Journal of Surgery, 2003; 73 (1-2):14-18 |
Publisher: | Blackwell Science Asia |
Issue Date: | 2003 |
ISSN: | 1445-1433 |
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Sympathectomy at the T2 level would block the afferent projection negative feedback to the hypothalamus
Sympathectomy at the T2 level would block the afferent projection negative feedback to the hypothalamus, since it would section practically all afferent pathways, and would favor CH appearance at the periphery, due to the continuous efferent projections from the hypothalamus. Sympathectomy below this level would section a smaller number of afferent pathways, avoiding the feedback blockage and decreasing CH.
By understanding that CH is a result of a lack of negative feedback to the hypothalamus after sympathectomy, we found out that this side effect is more pronounced when sympathectomy is performed on the T2 ganglion, where there is greater convergence of afferent pathways to the hypothalamus. However, when the sympathectomy is more caudal, the adverse effect is less pronounced.
Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia
Print version ISSN 1806-3713
J. bras. pneumol. vol.34 no.11 São Paulo Nov. 2008
Direct hypothalamo-autonomic connections.
Brain Res. 1976 Nov 26;117(2):305-12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/62600Friday, July 16, 2010
Effects of sympathicolysis on bronchial responsiveness to histamine: implications of the autonomic imbalance
Effects of thoracoscopic upper dorsal sympathicolysis for essential hyperhidrosis on bronchial responsiveness to histamine: implications on the autonomic imbalance theory of asthma.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9424396
TES is not as minor a procedure as usually asserted
Ann Thorac Surg 71(4):1116-9 (2001)
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
bradycardia as likely, and compensatory sweating as obligatory after Sympathectomy
- Clin Auton Res. 2003 Dec;13 Suppl 1:I36-9.
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Sequelae of endoscopic sympathetic block.
Schick CH, Horbach T.
Dept. of Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Krankenhausstrasse 12, 91054, Erlangen, Germany. schick@hyperhidrosis.de
Endoscopic sympathetic block as a treatment for primary hyperhidrosis is associated with certain sequelae. The reported occurrence of side effects still varies in the literature. As the majority of patients describe sequelae after sympathetic surgery, the frequency and importance of these persisting changes are still underestimated. Patient's informed consent should include and define side effects like gustatory sweating, olfactory sweating and bradycardia as likely, and compensatory sweating as obligatory.
An assessment of plantar hyperhidrosis after endoscopic thoracic sympathicolysis
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19410478
Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2009 Aug;36(2):360-3. Epub 2009 May 1.