[Paroxysmal unilateral hyperhidrosis]

We report the case of a 35-year-old woman with paroxysmal unilateral hyperhidrosis which developed after thoractotomy for Barret's esophagus (benign esophageal stenosis). Hyperhidrosis was on the right side of the face and in the metameric areas corresponding to the right spinal roots C2, C3 and C4. Paroxysms of sweating lasting from 15 to 30 min occurred several times daily, either spontaneously or related with acid food ingestion. The symptoms have been present for the last 10 years. Paroxysmal unilateral hyperhidrosis is a rare disorder of the autonomic nervous system. It has been reported in association with peripheral nerve, spinal cord and cerebral lesions, and in some cases the etiology is unknown.