Thoracoscopic sympathectomy: a case report

Thoracoscopic sympathectomy was first described in 1951 but was not popularized until this decade. With the advent of videoendoscopic techniques and advances in minimally invasive surgery, thoracoscopic sympathectomy has been shown to be a safe and effective therapy in the treatment of various autonomically mediated disorders. Furthermore, numerous investigators have reported high rates of technical success and patient satisfacrion. These minimally invasive techniques used to resect the sympathetic ganglia significantly reduces the morbidity and mortality often associated with conventional open procedures. In addition, endoscopic techniques provide a magnified view of the surgical field and allow for precise identification of the sympathetic chain and points of resection.