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

Monday, September 12, 2011

Sympathectomy should not be considered for such persons because of the risk of permanent worsening of erythromelalgia symptoms

The literature contains reports of remission with sympathectomy, but careful case selection is imperative before this procedure is performed.  Sympathectomy should be considered only for those whose erythromelalgia improves with blocks.  Conversely, if a sympathetic block causes worsening of a person's erythromelalgia, treatment should be discontinued.  Sympathectomy should not be considered for such persons because of the risk of permanent worsening of erythromelalgia symptoms.
Jay S. Cohen MD,
medicationsense.com/articles/2010/erythromelalgia0510.pdf