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, December 20, 2009

bilateral ganglionectomy resulted in minor decreases in the cerebrovascular contents of ACh

The effects of uni- or bilateral surgical ablation of the SPG, a putative origin of the cholinergic cerebrovascular innervation, were investigated on these two specific cholinergic markers at various postoperative times. ChAT activity and ACh levels were enriched in the cerebral as compared to the peripheral arteries. Among the cerebrovascular tissues tested, ACh levels were particularly high in the circle of Willis and the vertebrobasilar segments and, to a lesser extent, in the middle cerebral artery. Lower levels were found in the small pial vessels and choroid plexus. Overall, ChAT activity measured in different arterial beds paralleled the distribution of ACh. Following uni- or bilateral removal of the SPG, slight reductions were observed in ChAT activity in rostral cerebral arteries and pial vessels overlying the frontal cortex. Similarly, bilateral ganglionectomy resulted in minor decreases in the cerebrovascular contents of ACh in these same vascular segments.
J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 1991 Mar;11(2):253-60.

Sympathethetic influence on Cerebral Blood Volume following excsion of the superior cervical ganglia

Shortly after operation there is a leakage of the noradrenaline transmitter from the degenerating nerve terminals with and accompanying activation of the vascular receptor (the CVB was foudn to be reduced by 28%). When the transmitter has disappeared from the degenerating terminals, the neural influence of the vessels is abolished (the blood volume was increased by 34% compared to unoperated controls). About 2 weeks later, a pronounced denervation supersensitivity of the vascular receptors to circulating catecholamines develops (the CVB became nromal or even subnormal).
Another circumstance giving the impression of inconsistent results after denervation is that a difference in the effects of pre- and postganglionic operation is usually not fully considered.
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
Volume 28, Number 7 / July, 1972

Cervical sympathectomy causes alveolar bone loss

Both superior cervical ganglionectomy and oral challenge with P. gingivalis resulted in accelerated alveolar bone loss. Gingival tissues in the superior cervical ganglionectomy group showed increased expression of the cytokines interleukin-1alfa, tumor necrosis factor-alfa and interleukin-6. The density of neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive fibers was decreased following superior cervical ganglionectomy. Osteoclasts were observed in the superior cervical ganglionectomy and P. gingivalis-challenged groups. Conclusion:  Both superior cervical ganglionectomy and oral challenge with P. gingivalis induced alveolar bone loss.

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/mksg/per/2009/00000044/00000006/art00002