Endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis

ABSTRACT

Thirty-two consecutive patients with palmar and/or axillary hyperhidrosis were submitted for endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy. Twenty-eight patients underwent bilateral surgery. There were 24 females and 8 males with a mean age 24.2 years [range 17 - 32 years]. The hands alone were affected in 6 patients, the axillae alone in 4 patients [12.5%] and both areas in 16 patients [50%]. There were 4 patients with recurrent palmar hyperhidrosis [2 unilateral and 2 bilateral], and 2 patients with recurrent unilateral axillary hyperhidrosis. The procedure was successful in curing the symptoms of hyperhidrosis in all patients. The commonest side effects were compensatory sweating [43.75%] and gustatory sweating [31%], there was a high level of patient satisfaction