Abstract
Palmar hyperhidrosis is a troublesome and embarrassing disorder that causes professional, psychological, and social handicaps. Its etiology is unknown, although surgical treatment by thoracic sympathectomy is presently believed to be the best method of cure.1,2 Up to now, numerous methods of sympathectomy, including open thoracotomy, as well as posterior and supraclavicular approaches have been described. We favor endoscopy at this time due to both its simplicity and its resultant short hospital stay. During the period between March 1988 and October 1990, 112 patients (55 males, 57 females) suffering from palmar hyperhidrosis underwent 222 thoracoscopic T2–T3 sympathectomies under general anesthesia in our department. The remaining 2 hands had a second operation of unilateral open thoracotomy due to pleural adhesion. The patients' ages ranged from 15 to 45 years. A total of 220 hands became dry while the others showed improvements. There were 5 patients who required unilateral chest tube insertion, 2 for post-thoracotomy drainage and 3 for intrathoracic hemorrhage after thoracoscopic pneumonolysis. The average operative time (bilateral) was 30.8 min and hospital stay was 2.87 days. Compensatory hyperhidrosis was the major complication. There was no mortality. We therefore consider thoracoscopic sympathectomy to be a simple, safe, and effective method for treating palmar hyperhidrosis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adar R, Kurchin A, Zweig A, Mozes M (1977) Palmar hyperhidrosis and its surgical treatment. Ann Surg 186:34–41
Kux M (1978) Thoracic endoscopic sympathectomy in palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis. Arch Surg 113:264–266
Telford ED (1935) Technique of sympathectomy. Br J Surg 23:448–450
Jacobaeus HC (1910) Ueber die Moglichkeit die Zystoskopie bei Untersuchung seroser Hohlungen anzuwenden. Munch Med Wochenschr 57:2090–2092
Ellis H (1975) Hyperhidrosis and its surgical treatment. Postgrad Med 53:191–196
Gjerris F, Olesen HP (1975) Palmar hyperhidrosis. Long-term results following high thoracic sympathectomy. Acta Neural Scand 51:167–172
Greenhalgh RM, Rosengarten DS, Matin P (1971) Role of sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis. Br Med J 1:332–334
Keaveny TV, Fitzpatrick J, Fitzgerald PA (1974) The surgical treatment of hyperhidrosis. J Ir Med Assoc 67:544–545
Rask BE, Stetansson TA (1973) Sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis. Ugesk Laeger 135:699–701
Cloward RB (1969) Hyperhidrosis. J Neurosurg 30:545–551
Golueke PJ, Garrett WV, Thompson JE, Talkington CM, Smith BL (1988) Dorsal sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis — The posterior paravertebral approach. Surgery 103:568–572
Bass A, Inovrotzlavski S, Adar R (1983) Upper dorsal sympathectomy for palmar hyperhidrosis. Isr J Med Sci 19:112–115
Haar FL, Rosen T, Fayle RW (1985) Palmar hyperhidrosis. Tex Med 81:49–53
Bogokowsky H, Slutski S, Bacalu L, Abramsohn R, Negri M (1983) Surgical treatment of primary hyperhidrosis — A report of 42 cases. Arch Surg 118:1065–1067
Kurchin A, Adar R, Zweig A, Mozes M (1977) Gustatory phenomena after upper dorsal sympathectomy. Arch Neurol 34:619–623
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chou, SH., Lee, SH. & Kao, EL. Thoracic endoscopic T2–T3 sympathectomy in palmar hyperhidrosis: Experience of 112 cases. Surg Today 23, 105–107 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00311225
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00311225