The investigation of endoscopic transumbilical thoracic sympathectomy in experimental models / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the safety and feasibility of endoscopic transumbilical thoracic sympathectomy.Methods The technique was performed in 4 swine models.Under general anesthesia,a newly developed long abdominal trocar (60 cm in lengths) was placed through the umbilicus,which was also used to establish pneumoperitoneum.After insertion of gastroscope through this trocar,two small incisions of diagrams were created by needle-knife,through which the gastroscope was sent into the thoracic cavity to ablate the T3 ganglia by Hot biopsy forceps under One-lung ventilation.The animals were killed at the completion of the procedure.Results This procedure was completed in four pigs.The sympathetic chain was successfully ablated in all swine,as confirmed by gross surgical pathology and histology,the mean operative time was (81.7 ±15.4) minutes.There was no major bleeding.All bilateral T3 sympathetic chains were successfully ablated in the 4 swines as confirmed by gross surgical pathology and histology.There was no severe bleeding and damage to peripheral organs during the operation in any of the cases,and no prominent pneumothorax was revealed by postoperative chest X-ray radiography.Conclusion Endoscopic transumbilical thoracic sympathectomy is safe,feasible and effective with good cosmetic result.