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, February 2, 2008

Has there ever been a controlled trial done on the effects of sympathectomy?

in Australia? Overseas?

Isn't the procedure considered experimental if such study/trial has not been done?
Are medical companies allowed to introduce new drugs without such trials/studies? What would happen to a company that would do that?
Who is responsible if such thing occurs?

The answer according to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is: NO!