[Endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy (ETS) with a fine 2-mm thoracoscope in palmar hyperhidrosis]

Endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is an efficient, safe, minimally invasive procedure, and requires only a short period of hospitalization. We performed bilateral ETS using a thoracoscope 2 mm in diameter. We performed 120 ETS for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis from August 1997 to April 2000. The patient was placed in the semi-sitting position under general anesthesia, one-lung ventilation being used; the operation was performed with 2-mm two-puncture method. The sympathetic chain could be observed through parietal pleura riding on the costovertebral junctions. A 2-mm Kirschner wire was employed as an electrode, and the second and third thoracic sympathetic chains were electro cauterized. A thoracic drain was not used. The needling sites were only 2 mm in size and could be fixed without suture. For the patient, a small scar of this size means virtually no scar. The operative times were from 11 min to 81 min in bilateral ETS. Immediately and dramatic decrease in the sweat excretion in the palms was noted in all patients. The 95% patients were highly satisfied with the results. The commonest side effects were compensatory sweating. This procedure is recommended as the method of choice for the surgical treatments of palmar hyperhidrosis.