Factors affecting outcome following endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy

Area of Science:

• Medical procedures
• Surgical interventions
• Thoracic surgery

Background:

• Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is a treatment for palmar hyperhidrosis.
• ETS has been used for craniofacial symptoms like blushing and facial sweating.
• Adverse effects, such as compensatory sweating, can lead to patient regret and are currently unpredictable.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of age, sex, or body weight on the outcomes of ETS.
• To assess the effectiveness of ETS for palmar and facial symptoms.
• To identify predictors of adverse events following ETS.

Main Methods:

• A total of 110 patients undergoing bilateral ETS for palmar hyperhidrosis or facial symptoms were included.
• Patients completed pre- and post-surgery questionnaires on physical, emotional symptoms, and overall satisfaction.
• Seventy-nine usable questionnaires were analyzed to evaluate treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

• All patients experienced improvement in physical symptom scores after ETS.
• Significant improvements were observed in both facial and palmar symptom scores.
• Compensatory sweating was more prevalent in patients treated for facial symptoms (P = 0.007).
• Age, sex, and body mass index did not influence the overall outcome of ETS.

Conclusions:

• Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is an effective surgical treatment for both palmar hyperhidrosis and facial symptoms.
• While ETS provides significant symptom relief, patients undergoing treatment for facial symptoms may experience a higher incidence of side effects like compensatory sweating.