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Objective: To investigate the prevalence of compensatory hyperhidrosis following videothoracic sympathectomy to treat palmoplantar hyperhidrosis and its effect on sweating in the chest, abdomen, back and thighs. Furthermore, to evaluate the concordance between a subjective and an objective method of assessment for compensatory hyperhidrosis., Methods: Forty patients with combined palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (15 women and 25 men, with a mean age of 25 years) were prospectively followed for 1 year. Subjective and objective parameters were evaluated, using respectively a questionnaire and a sudorometer (Vapometer)., Results: In the subjective analysis, in the first month, only 10% of patients did not have compensatory hyperhidrosis, and 70% continued to report it at 1 or more sites after 1 year. In the objective analysis, 35% of the patients did not present compensatory hyperhidrosis after 1 month, and this number persisted stable, with 30% of patients remaining free of compensatory hyperhidrosis after 1 year. The most frequent area affected by compensatory hyperhidrosis was the back in both assessments. There was no positive concordance between the results of the objective and subjective analysis at any time in any of the 4 regions studied., Conclusions: Compensatory hyperhidrosis is a very common postoperative side effect after videothoracic sympathectomy, occurring early after the procedure and persisting for prolonged periods of time. The most frequently affected body area is the back, and no concordance between objective and subjective assessments was observed., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Several factors that could influence the efficacy and satisfaction of patients after bilateral thoracic sympathectomy (video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy [VATS]) in the treatment of hyperhidrosis (HH) have been studied, but no studies in the literature have specifically analyzed the effectiveness of treatment and variations in the quality of life of patients aged 40 years or older compared with those of young adult patients (19-40 years)., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 2,431 HH patients who underwent bilateral VATS and divided the patients into the following groups: a group younger than 40 years old (1,760 patients) and a group 40 years and older (142 patients). Variables included quality of life before surgery, improvement in quality of life after surgery, clinical improvement in sweating, the presence of severe compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH), and general satisfaction at 1 month after surgery., Results: We observed that all surgical patients presented with poor or very poor quality of life before surgery, with similar proportions in both groups. In the postoperative period, we observed improvement in quality of life in more than 90% of the patients, with no significant difference noted between the 2 groups of patients. More than 90% of the patients in this series had great clinical improvement in the main HH site, with no significant difference between the 2 groups. Severe CH occurred in 23.8% of the patients in this series, with no significant difference between the 2 groups., Conclusions: Patients 40 years of age or older benefit just as much as younger patients from VATS performed to treat primary HH, presenting excellent significant surgical results., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: Several factors that could influence the efficacy and satisfaction of patients after bilateral thoracic sympathectomy (VATS) in the treatment of hyperhidrosis (HH) have been studied, but no studies in the literature have specifically analyzed the effectiveness of treatment and variations in the quality of life of adolescents patients compared to those of adult patients (18-40 years)., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 2431 hyperhidrosis patients who underwent bilateral VATS and divided the patients into the following groups: adolescents (472 patients) and adult group (1760 patients). Variables included quality of life prior to surgery, improvement in quality of life after surgery, clinical improvement in sweating, presence of severe compensatory hyperhidrosis and general satisfaction at one month after surgery., Results: We observed that all surgical patients presented with poor or very poor quality of life before surgery, with similar proportions in both groups. In the postoperative period, we observed improvement in quality of life in more than 90% of the patients, with no significant difference noted between the two groups of patients. We observed that all patients undergoing surgery presented poor or very poor quality of life before surgery; however, the two groups were statistically different. The quality of life of the ADOLESCENT group before surgery was statistically worse than that of the ADULT group. More than 90% of the patients in this series had great clinical improvement in the main hyperhidrosis site, with no significant difference between the two groups. Severe compensatory hyperhidrosis occurred in 23.8% of the patients in this series, with no significant difference between the two groups., Conclusions: Adolescent patients benefit just as much as adult patients from VATS performed to treat primary hyperhidrosis, presenting excellent, significant surgical results., Type of Study: Clinical research., Levels of Evidence: Level III., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background:  Patients with primary hyperhidrosis present with sweating in two or more sites in nearly 85% of cases. In this study, we examined whether the number of hyperhidrosis sites is related to the surgery outcomes., Methods:  One hundred ninety-three hyperhidrosis patients who underwent bilateral videothoracoscopic sympathectomy after failure or dissatisfaction with clinical treatment were distributed into three groups based on the number of hyperhidrosis sites (one site, two sites, and three or more sites of hyperhidrosis). The primary endpoints in the study were as follows: quality of life prior to surgery, improvement of quality of life after surgery, clinical improvement of sweating, presence or absence of compensatory hyperhidrosis, and general satisfaction after 1 month of surgery., Results:  Patients with two or more hyperhidrosis sites had worse quality of life before surgery than patients with a single hyperhidrosis site. There was an improvement in the quality of life in more than 95% of the patients, clinical improvement in more than 95% of patients, severe compensatory hyperhidrosis in less than 10%, and low general satisfaction after 1 month of surgery in only 2.60% of the patients, with no differences among the three groups., Conclusions:  Patients with more than one preoperative hyperhidrosis site present worse quality of life prior to surgery than those with a single hyperhidrosis site, but the number of hyperhidrosis sites before surgery does not affect surgery outcomes., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Objective: Several factors may potentially influence the efficacy and patient satisfaction after bilateral thoracic sympathectomy as the treatment for hyperhidrosis, but few studies have specifically analyzed the impact of age on the efficacy of this treatment, the occurrence of compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH), and variations in the quality of life., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the effect of age, body mass index, surgical techniques, quality of life before surgery, betterment in the quality of life after surgery, clinical improvement in sweating at the main site, and the occurrence and intensity of CH in patients with hyperhidrosis (n = 1633) who underwent bilateral sympathectomy., Results: Quality of life improved in more than 90% of patients, and severe CH occurred in 5.4%. Age did not affect these outcomes. The older, the greater reduction in sweating, and CH was linked to other variables (body mass index, craniofacial hyperhidrosis, and level of resection)., Conclusions: We observed that patients with old age reported an improvement in sweating in the main site of hyperhidrosis. Sympathectomy outcomes in older patients are similar to those observed in younger patients in terms of quality of life improvement and occurrence of CH., (Copyright © 2018 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Facial hyperhidrosis (FH) may lead patients to a significantly impaired quality of life (QOL). Video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VATS) is reserved for more severe cases refractory to common first-line agents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of VATS for FH and to compare the results between patients with facial hyperhidrosis as main complaint (FHMC) and patients with facial hyperhidrosis as nonmain complaint (FHNMC)., Methods: This was a retrospective study based on medical chart analysis from March 2000 to January 2014: 40 patients with FHMC and 136 patients with FHNMC. Patients underwent VATS at the T2, T3, or T4 level, according to the main site of complaint. We assessed improvement in QOL, improvement in hyperhidrosis, and presence of complications and side effects, notably compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH)., Results: Patients with FHMC reported greater improvement in FH (97.1% versus 93.6%; P = 0.006) but had lower improvement in QOL (78.2% versus 92.7%; P = 0.024) compared to patients with FHNMC. For patients with FHNMC, any degree of improvement in FH was reported by 100%, almost 95%, and nearly 80% of the patients who underwent VATS at the T2, T3, and T4 level, respectively (P = 0.039). Pain and CH were reported by more than 61% and 92% of the patients, respectively, with no statistical difference between both groups., Conclusions: Patients with FHMC, despite the greater improvement in FH, experienced lower improvement in QOL compared to patients with FHNMC. CH was the most frequent side effect in both groups, affecting more than 92% of the patients., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Video thoracoscopic sympathectomy is the recommended surgical treatment for primary hyperhidrosis and has a high success rate. Despite this high success rate, some patients are unresponsive and eventually need a resympathectomy. Few studies have previously analysed exclusively the results of these resympathectomies in patients with primary hyperhidrosis. None of the studies have objectively evaluated the degree of response to surgery or the improvement in quality of life after resympathectomies., Methods: This is a retrospective study, evaluating 15 patients from an initial group of 2300 patients who underwent resympathectomy after failure of the primary surgical treatment. We evaluated sympathectomy levels of resection, technical difficulties, surgical complications preoperative quality of life, response to treatment and quality-of-life improvement 30 days after each surgery., Results: Regarding gender, 11 (73.3%) patients were women. The average age was 23.2 with SD of 5.17 years, and the mean body mass index was 20.9 (SD 2.12). Ten patients had major complaints about their hands (66%) and 5 (33%) patients about their forearms. A high degree of response to sympathectomy occurred in 73% of patients. In 11 of these patients, the improvement in quality of life was considered high, 3 showed a mild improvement and 1 did not improve. No major complications occurred; the presence of adhesions was reported in 11 patients and pleural drainage was necessary in 4 patients., Conclusions: Resympathectomy is an effective procedure, and it improves the quality of life in patients with primary hyperhidrosis who failed after the first surgery., (© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Background: Videothoracoscopy sympathectomy (VATS) is the only definitive treatment for primary hyperhidrosis (HH). Since 2007, in our institution, patients with HH were initially treated with oxybutynin chloride to avoid VATS and reduce compensatory hyperhidrosis incidence with good results. The aim of this study was to analyze the surgical response of patients suffering from essential hyperhidrosis after failure of oxybutynin chloride treatment., Methods: This was an observational retrospective study that included 737 patients who were diagnosed with palmar or axillary hyperhidrosis and received VATS from January 2007 to January 2014. Patients were selected for 2 different groups: The post-oxybutynin surgery group consisted of 167 patients that were initially treated with oxybutynin chloride for 6 weeks and then received VATS after drug treatment failure. The primary surgery group consisted of a historic control group of 570 patients who were referred directly to surgical treatment. We evaluated the degree of improvement in symptoms 30 days after surgery and quality of life before and after the surgical treatment., Results: All patients showed poor or very poor quality of life before surgery. Most patients showed a response between moderate and high after surgical treatment. However, those in primary surgery group responded better (95.1% vs. 98.2%). In the quality of life after surgery, most of the patients reported improvement, and the primary surgery group had better improvement (92.2% vs. 95.1%)., Conclusions: VATS showed good results in patients with palmar or axillary hyperhidrosis regarding surgical response and improvement on quality of life even when the previous oxybutynin chloride treatment failed., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Compensatory hyperhidrosis (HH) is the most common and feared side effect of thoracic sympathectomy, because patients with severe forms have their quality of life greatly impaired. The most well-known factors associated with compensatory HH are extension of manipulation of the sympathetic chain, level of sympathetic denervation, and body mass index. Technical developments as well as the proper selection of patients for surgery have been crucial in reducing the occurrence of severe forms of compensatory HH. Therapeutic options include topical agents, botulinum toxin, systemic anticholinergics, clip removal, and sympathetic chain reconstruction, although the efficacy is not well-established for all the methods., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The best way to evaluate the impact of primary hyperhidrosis on quality of life (QL) is through specific questionnaires, avoiding generic models that do not appropriately evaluate individuals. QL improves significantly in the short term after sympathectomy. In the longer term, a sustained and stable improvement is seen, although there is a small decline in the numbers; after 5 and even at 10 years of follow-up it shows virtually the same numerical distribution. Compensatory hyperhidrosis is a major side effect and the main aggravating factor in postoperative QL, requiring attention to its management and prevention., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

By the 1980s, endoscopy was in use by some groups in sympathetic denervation of the upper limbs with vascular indications. Low morbidity, cosmetic results, reduction in the incidence of Horner syndrome, and the shortened time in hospital made video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy (VATS) better accepted by those undergoing treatment for hyperhidrosis. Over the last 25 years, this surgical procedure has become routine in the treatment of hyperhidrosis, leading to a significant increase in the number of papers on the subject in the literature., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The aim of this study was to ascertain the technical difficulties and complications of video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy (VTAS) in the treatment of hyperhidrosis in a large group of patients., Methods: Between October 1995 and February 2008, 1731 patients with palmar, axillary, or craniofacial hyperhidrosis, who were treated using bilateral VTAS, were studied. We assessed the technical difficulties, early and late complications, and the approaches that were used to resolve them., Results: Therapeutic success was achieved in 91% of the cases as evidenced by anhidrosis. The most common and severe technical difficulty during the procedure was pleural adhesions in 116 cases (6.7%); azygos lobes were seen in 7 patients (0.4%) and apical blebs in 3 patients (0.2%). The most frequent postoperative immediate complication was postoperative pain in 1685 (97.4%) patients; pneumothorax with chest drainage was seen in 60 cases (3.5%), neurologic disorders involving the upper limbs in 36 cases (2.1%), Horner's syndrome in 11 cases (0.9%), significant bleeding in 8 cases (0.4%), and 1 patient had extensive subcutaneous emphysema. The most frequent late complication was compensatory hyperhidrosis, which occurred in 1531 cases (88.4%). Although 27.2% of the patients reported severe compensatory hyperhidrosis, only 2.5% expressed regret for undergoing surgery. Gustatory sweating occurred in 334 patients (19.3%). No deaths occurred in this series., Conclusions: VTAS is safe and has shown good results. The major complication is compensatory hyperhidrosis and, when severe, the patient may express regret for undergoing surgery. Improvements in instrumentation, adequate training, and careful patient selection may help to reduce the number of drawbacks associated with VTAS., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of the present study was to prospectively, randomly, blindly, and objectively investigate how surgery affects plantar sudoresis in patients with palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis over a one-year period using a sudorometer (VapoMeter)., Methods: From February 2007 to May 2009, 40 consecutive patients with combined palmar hyperhidrosis and plantar hyperhidrosis underwent video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy at the T3 or T4 ganglion level (15 women and 25 men, with a mean age of 25 years)., Results: Immediately after the operation and during the one-year follow-up, all of the patients were free from palmar hyperhidrosis episodes. Compensatory hyperhidrosis of varying degrees was observed in 35 (87.5%) patients after one year. Only two (2.5%) patients suffered from severe compensatory hyperhidrosis. There was a large initial improvement in plantar hyperhidrosis in 46.25% of the cases, followed by a progressive regression of that improvement, such that only 30% continued to show this improvement after one year. The proportion of patients whose condition worsened increased progressively (from 21.25% to 47.50%), and the proportion of stable patients decreased (32.5% to 22.50%). This was not related to resection level; however, a lower intensity of plantar hyperhidrosis prior to sympathectomy correlated with worse evolution., Conclusion: Patients with palmar hyperhidrosis and plantar hyperhidrosis who underwent video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy to treat their palmar hyperhidrosis exhibited good initial improvement in plantar hyperhidrosis, which then decreased to lesser degrees of improvement over a one-year period following the surgery. For this reason, video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy should not be performed when only plantar hyperhidrosis is present.

The results of video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy (VATS)in children are unknown. To investigate the improvement in quality of life (QOL) of a group of 45 children who did and did not undergo VATS for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis (PH) 4 years after the initial evaluation. Forty-five children with PH were initially evaluated. Children were divided into two groups: 30 in the VATS group and 15 in the control group. We studied the evolution of PH, negative effect of hyperhidrosis on the QOL before the treatment, and improvement in QOL after treatment. Twenty-five patients (83.4%) in the VATS group experienced great improvement in PH, and five (16.6%) experienced partial improvement; 12 (80.0%) children from the control group had some type of improvement, and three (20.0%) had partial improvement. Two (13.3%) children in the control group and 23 (76.7%) in the VATS group had great improvement in QOL. For children with PH and poor QOL, VATS is better than no treatment. It produces better results with regard to sweating and greater improvement in QOL., (© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objectives: Current data do not provide enough information on how quality of life (QoL) evolves over time in cases of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS). The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the immediate improvement in QoL after the surgery was sustained until the fifth postoperative year., Methods: This was a prospective, nonrandomized and uncontrolled study. From March 2001 to December 2003, 475 consecutive patients with hyperhidrosis submitted to ETS were included. A QoL questionnaire was applied at the preoperative day, around the 30th postoperative day, and after the fifth year., Results: After excluding 22 patients who did not answer all the questions, we analyzed 453 patients. Their ages ranged from 11 to 57 years old, with a mean of 25.3 + 7.9 years, including 297 female patients (65.6%). All patients were assessed on three occasions: before surgery, around the 30th postoperative day, and after the fifth postoperative year. The QoL before surgery was considered to be poor or very poor for all patients. The QoL around 30 days after surgery was better in 412 patients (90.9%), the same in 27 patients (6.0%), and worse in 14 patients (3.1%). After 5 years, 409 patients (90.3%) were better, 27 (6.0%) were the same, and 14 (3.1%) were worse. There were no differences between these postoperative times according to the McNemar statistical test., Conclusion: The patients had an immediate improvement in QoL after ETS, and this improvement was sustained until the fifth postoperative year., (Copyright © 2012 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study compares the results obtained of video-assisted sympathectomy performed on two distinct ganglion levels (third vs. fourth thoracic ganglion) in the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis (PH), through a blind randomized clinical trial. All participants were randomized into two groups of 20 patients (G3 and G4) and underwent the operation, and were followed for 12 months. We used an objective method for measuring sweat, checking the transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and evaluated the quality-of-life (QoL) before and after the operation. All patients (n=40) ceased suffering from PH after surgery, with statistical difference when we compared the values of TEWL palmar preoperatively with their respective values at one week, one month, six months and 12 months. The main side effect observed was compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH), which was most frequent in G3 after 12 months of follow-up. There was an improvement in QoL since the first evaluation of the postoperative period with no difference between groups. Both techniques were effective in the treatment of PH, generating objective reduction of TEWL regardless of the ganglion operated. Sympathectomy G3 had a higher incidence of CH, yet the improvement in QoL was similar in both groups.

Unlabelled: Video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy (VATS) is currently the procedure of choice for the definitive treatment of primary hyperhidrosis because it is an effective, safe, and minimally invasive method. The aim of VATS treatment is to improve the quality of life through the reduction of excessive sudoresis. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of life after VATS for treating palmar hyperhidrosis according to gender., Methods: A total of 1044 patients who submitted to the surgical treatment for palmar hyperhidrosis from June 2000 to February 2008 were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were divided into two groups according to gender [719 (68.8%) females and 325 (31.2%) males]., Results: There are no statistically significant differences between genders with regard to the quality of life in palmar hyperhidrosis patients (p = 0.726). In the interview that was performed 30 days after surgery, the quality of life in the two groups had improved, with no statistical difference between the groups., Conclusion: Patients with palmar hyperhidrosis present with an improvement in the quality of life after VATS regardless of gender.

The presence of an azygos lobe (AL) may make it difficult or even impossible to use video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy if the surgeon is unprepared to deal with this anatomical anomaly. Seven hyperhidrosis patients with an AL from a total of 1,876 individuals who underwent video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy are presented. The surgical technique and clinical evolution are described. For these 7 patients, the surgical intervention could be performed using thoracoscopy. Only 1 patient required postoperative pleural drainage. Another patient presented atelectasis in part of the AL, which was resolved through respiratory physiotherapy. For all of them, the operation was completely successful. We concluded that it is possible to successfully perform VATS in the presence of an AL. Previous knowledge of the presence of AL is useful, so that surgeons are not taken by surprise during the operation., (2010 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to compare the severity of pain over a 30-day period in a group of 1515 patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VATS) to treat primary hyperhidrosis, among whom 929 were treated using electric scalpels and 586 using harmonic scalpels. From February 2000 to June 2008, 1515 patients scheduled for VATS were prospectively surveyed. They were divided into two groups according to whether electric or harmonic scalpels would be used. The patients filled out a protocol at every visit according to their subjective perception of pain, evaluating it on a scale from 0 to 10, such that 0 represented no pain and 10, maximum pain. The severity was recorded as null when the score was 0; slight, 1-4; moderate, 5-7; or severe, 8-10. The results from the evaluations were compared between the two groups. Only 152 patients did not present postoperative pain. No significant association was found between the type of scalpel used and the severity of the pain. There was no difference between harmonic and electric scalpel use in the levels of thoracic pain during the first 30 days after VATS.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the postoperative quality of life (QOL) experienced among a group of 1167 patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VATS) to treat primary hyperhidrosis, as compared with the presurgical QOL., Methods: Between February 2002 and June 2007, 1167 patients who had undergone VATS were surveyed. The majority had presented with palmar hyperhidrosis (794 patients; 68%), while 340 (29%) had presented with axillary hyperhidrosis. Based on data obtained from the QOL protocol applied to all of the patients preoperatively, the patients were divided into two groups according to the level of their QOL: group 1 consisted of 312 patients (27%) with poor QOL and group 2 of 855 patients (73%) with very poor QOL. The same protocol was applied postoperatively, and five different levels of satisfaction were obtained. The same parameters were evaluated for both the palmar and the axillary hyperhidrosis subgroups., Results: The patients with very poor QOL had much better results in terms of improvement in QOL than did those with poor QOL (P < .05). The same result was observed for both the palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis subgroups (P < .05)., Conclusion: The worse the preoperative QOL among patients undergoing sympathectomy to treat primary hyperhidrosis is, the better the postoperative improvement in QOL will be., (Copyright (c) 2010 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare two surgical techniques (denervation levels) for sympathectomy using video-assisted thoracoscopy to treat palmar hyperhidrosis in the long-term., Methods: From May 2003 to June 2006, 60 patients with palmar hyperhidrosis were prospectively randomized for video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy at the T2 or T3 ganglion level. They were followed for a mean of 20 months and were evaluated regarding their degree of improvement of palmar hyperhidrosis, incidence and severity of compensatory hyperhidrosis and its evolution over time, and quality of life., Results: Fifty-nine cases presented resolution of the palmar hyperhidrosis. One case of therapeutic failure occurred in the T3 group. Most of the patients presented an improvement in palmar hyperhidrosis, without any difference between the groups. Twenty months later, all patients in both groups presented some degree of compensatory hyperhidrosis but with less severity in the T3 group (p = 0.007). Compensatory hyperhidrosis developed in most patients during the first month after the operation, with incidence and severity that remained stable over time. An improvement in quality of life was seen starting from the first postoperative evaluation but without any difference between the groups. This improvement was maintained until the end of the follow-up., Conclusion: Both techniques were effective for treating palmar hyperhidrosis. The most frequent complication was compensatory hyperhidrosis, which presented stable incidence and severity over the study period. Sympathectomy at the T3 level presented compensatory hyperhidrosis with less severity. Nevertheless, the improvement in quality of life was similar between the groups.

Introduction: Level T4 video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy proved superior to T3-T4 treatment for controlling axillary hyperhidrosis at the initial and six-month follow-ups of these patients., Objective: To compare the results of two levels of sympathectomy (T3-T4 vs. T4) for treating axillary sudoresis over one year of follow-up., Methods: Sixty-four patients with axillary hyperhidrosis were randomized to denervation of T3-T4 or T4 alone and followed prospectively. All patients were examined preoperatively and were followed postoperatively for one year. Axillary hyperhidrosis treatment was evaluated, along with the presence, location, and severity of compensatory hyperhidrosis and self-reported quality of life., Results: According to patient reports after one year, all cases of axillary hyperhidrosis were successfully treated by surgery. There were no instances of treatment failure. After six months, compensatory hyperhidrosis was present in 27 patients of the T3-T4 group (87.1%) and in 16 patients of the T4 group (48.5%). After one year, all T3-T4 patients experienced some degree of compensatory hyperhidrosis, compared to only 14 patients in the T4 group (42.4%). In addition, compensatory hyperhidrosis was less severe in the T4 patients (p < 0.01). Quality of life was poor before surgery, and it improved in both groups at six months and one year of follow-up (p = 0.002). There were no cases of mortality, no significant postoperative complications, and no need for conversion to thoracotomy in either group., Conclusion: Both techniques were effective for treating axillary hyperhidrosis, but the T4 group showed milder compensatory hyperhidrosis and greater patient satisfaction at the one-year follow-up.

Purpose: We compared the results from a video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VTS) at the T4 denervation level with those from a VTS at the T3 level for the treatment of palmar hyperhydrosis (PH)., Methods: Seventy patients with PH were prospectively followed for VTS at the T3 or T4 denervation levels for 6 months. The end points of this study were: absence of PH, compensatory hyperhydrosis (CH), and quality-of-life assessment., Results: Sixty-seven patients reported a complete resolution of PH after surgery. One failure occurred in the T3 group and 2 in the T4 group. When anhydrosis was obtained, we noticed totally dry hands in 26 patients in the T3 group and 6 patients in the T4 group. The other 27 patients in the T4 group and 8 in the T3 group maintained a small level of sweating and were also considered to be therapeutic successes. At 6 months, 25 patients in the T4 group had some degree of CH (71.42%) and all patients in the T3 group (100%), though the T4 group had a lower degree of severity of CH at the 6-month follow-up (P < 0.05). After the operation, quality of life was improved similarly in both groups., Conclusions: VTS at either the T3 or T4 level provides an effective treatment for PH. VTS at the T4 level is associated with a less severe form of CH. Despite the occurrence of CH, patients' quality of life is significantly improved following VTS at the T3 or T4 levels. For this reason, the T4 resection can now be used as a treatment for PH.

Background: Sympathectomy is the treatment of choice for primary hyperhidrosis. One curious occurrence that is difficult to explain from an anatomophysiological point of view in cases of video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VATS) for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis (PH) is the observed improvement in plantar hyperhidrosis (PLH). Nevertheless, current reports on VATS rarely describe the effect on PLH or just give superficial data. The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate, how surgery affects PLH in patients with PH and PLH over one-year period., Methods: From May 2003 to January 2004, 70 consecutive patients with combined PH and PLH underwent VATS at the T2, T3, or T4 ganglion level (47 women and 23 men, with mean age of 23 years)., Results: Immediately after the operation, all the patients said they were free from PH episodes, except for two patients (2.8%) who suffered from continued PH. Compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) of various degrees was observed in 58 (90.6%) patients after one year. Only 13 (20.3%) suffered from severe CH. There was a great initial improvement in PLH in 50% of the cases, followed by progressive regression, such that only 23.4% still presented that improvement after one year. The number of cases without overall improvement increased progressively (from 17.1% to 37.5%) and the numbers with slight improvement remained stable (32.9-39.1%). Of the 24 patients with no improvement after one year, 6 patients graded plantar sweating worse., Conclusion: Patients with PH and PLH who undergo VATS to treat their PH present a good initial improvement in PLH that reduces to a lower level of improvement after the one-year period.

Introduction: Video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy (VATS) is one minimally invasive definitive treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis. Different techniques exist for controlling axillary sudoresis, but they are temporary and have high cost. This study was conducted to compare the initial results from sympathectomy using two distinct levels for treating axillary sudoresis: T3-T4 vs T4., Methods: Sixty-two patients with axillary hyperhidrosis were prospectively randomized for denervation of T3-T4 or T4 alone. All patients were examined preoperatively and were followed-up at 1 and 6 months postoperatively. Evaluated were the axillary hyperhidrosis treatment, the presence, location, and severity of compensatory hyperhidrosis, and the quality of life., Results: All the patients said that their axillary hyperhidrosis was successfully treated by the surgery after 6 months. There was no treatment failure. Compensatory hyperhidrosis was present in 29 patients (90.6%) of the T3-T4 group and in 17 T4 patients (56.7%) after 1 month. After 6 months, all the T3-T4 patients presented some degree of compensatory hyperhidrosis vs 13 T4 patients (43.3%). The severity of the compensatory hyperhidrosis was also lower in the T4 patients (P < . 01). The quality of life was poor in both groups before the surgery, and was equally improved in both groups after 1 and 6 months of follow-up. There were no deaths or significant postoperative complications nor a need for conversion to thoracotomy., Conclusion: Both techniques are effective for treating axillary hyperhidrosis, but the T4 group presented milder compensatory hyperhidrosis and had a greater satisfaction rate.

Background: Different techniques of video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy have been suggested to control the symptoms of axillary hyperhidrosis. We compared the results using two different levels of ganglion resection for treating axillary hyperhidrosis: T3/T4 vs. T4., Materials and Methods: From a group of 1119 patients operated on between July 2000 and January 2005, 276 patients with axillary hyperhidrosis were studied. The mean age was 26 (range, 13-54 years) and 61.6% were female. Of these patients, 216 (78.3%) were treated with thermal ablation of T3/T4 and 60 (21.7%) with thermal ablation of T4 alone. The procedures were bilateral and simultaneous, using two 5.5-mm trocars and 30-degree optical systems, under general anesthesia in all cases., Results: There was no mortality and no important postoperative complications or need to convert to thoracotomy in either group. The mean follow-up in the T4 group was 11 months (range, 2-23 months) and in the T3/T4 group mean follow-up was 24 months (range, 13-54 months). The immediate therapeutic success rate was 100% in both groups. There were recurrences in 7 (2.5%) patients, all from the T3/T4 group. The satisfaction rate was higher and more stable in the T4 group and compensatory sweating was lower in the T4 group., Conclusion: Both techniques proved effective for controlling the axillary symptoms. Group T4 presented a higher satisfaction rate, lower recurrence rate, and lower severity of compensatory sweating.

Purpose: This study compares early results of video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VTS) at the thoracic T2 versus T3 ganglion denervation levels for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis (PH)., Methods: Sixty patients with PH were prospectively randomized for VTS at the thoracic T2 or T3 ganglion denervation levels. The patients underwent postoperative evaluation on three occasions: before surgery, and 1 and 6 months after the operation. Endpoints included the absence of PH, the presence, location, and severity of compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH), and a quality-of-life assessment., Results: Fifty-nine of 60 patients reported complete resolution of PH after surgery. One failure occurred in the T3 group. CH was observed in 26 patients (86.66%) in the T2 group and in 27 patients (90%) in the T3 group at 1 month. At 6 months, 30 of 30 patients in the T2 group and 29 of 30 in the T3 group experienced CH, although in the T3 group, CH was less severe at both 1 and 6 months (P < .05). Quality of life was very poor in both groups before surgery. One month after operation, quality of life was improved similarly in both groups. This improvement was maintained at 6 months in both groups., Conclusion: PH is well treated by VTS at either the T2 or T3 levels. Denervation at the T3 level appears associated with less severe CH in the early postoperative period. Quality of life improved significantly in both groups.

Objective: Compensatory sweating (CS) is the most common adverse event and the main cause of dissatisfaction among patients undergoing a VATS sympathectomy for the treatment of primary hyperhidrosis. It has been described that obese individuals experience more sweating than thinner ones. The aim of this study is to identify the Body Mass Index (BMI) and the level of resection as predictive factors for CS and its relation to levels of patient satisfaction following the procedure., Methods: From October 1998 to June 2003, 102 patients undergoing VATS sympathectomies (51 for palmar hyperhidrosis, PH, and 51 for axillary hyperhidrosis, AH) were prospectively surveyed. They were divided into three groups according to their BMI: Group I was composed of 19 patients with BMI<20 (9 patients with PH and 10 with AH); Group II was composed of 52 patients with 20 < or =BMI<25 (25 with PH and 27 with AH); and Group III was composed of 31 patients with BMI > or =25 (17 with PH and 14 with AH). Each procedure was simultaneously and bilaterally performed under general anesthesia using two 5.5 mm trocars and a 30 degrees optic system., Results: Patients treated for PH (resection of T2-T3) had more severe CS than those with AH (resection of T3-T4) (p=0.007) and the greater the BMI, the greater the severity of the CS (p<0.001). No statistically significant difference was found between the BMI bands in relation to the degree of satisfaction (p=0.644), nor when we compared the degree of satisfaction to the degree of CS (p=0.316)., Conclusions: The greater the BMI, the more severe the CS, but this did not correlate with the patients' level of satisfaction. Avoiding the resection of T2 sympathetic ganglia is also important in reducing the intensity of CS.

Background: Thoracic sympathectomy is indicated to treat primary hyperhidrosis. The objective is to analyze the results and complications of thoracic sympathectomy and propose a questionnaire to assess the quality of life of patients., Methods: Between October 1995 and March 2002, 378 patients were evaluated. Sixty-two percent were female, with a mean age of 26.8 years old (range 9 to 70 years old). There were 57.4% patients with palmar-plantar hyperhidrosis; 25% with palmar, plantar, and axillary hyperhidrosis; 15.7% with pure axillary hyperhidrosis; and 6.5% with craniofacial hyperhidrosis. General anesthesia was used in 97.3%, epidural with sedation in 2.7%. The sympathetic chain was resected in 12.5%, thermal ablation with the electrical scalpel was performed in 66.3%, and with the harmonic scalpel in 21.2% of the patients., Results: Successful sympathectomies were performed in 90.3% of the patients; the follow-up was from 1 to 60 months (mean 12.4 +/- 8.3 months). The recurrence rates were 8.2% for palmar hyperhidrosis, 13.7% for pure axillary hyperhidrosis, 27.5% of which were reoperated successfully. Improvement of the plantar hyperhidrosis was also registered in 58%. Horner's syndrome was reported in 1% with regression in half of them after 30 days. No mortality or serious complications were observed, nor the need to convert to thoracotomy. Of the total number of patients, 93.4% answered the quality of life questionnaire, 86.4% of whom noted improvement after the procedure., Conclusions: Thoracic sympathectomy is a simple, effective, safe method for the treatment of hyperhidrosis, resulting in an improved quality of life for patients. The questionnaire documents this change.

Objective: To analyze the number of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomies performed to treat hyperhidrosis in the Universal Public Health System of Brazil, the government reimbursements, and the in-hospital mortality rates. Background: Even though endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy has been widely performed for the definitive treatment of hyperhidrosis, no series reported mortality and there are no population-based studies evaluating its costs or its mortality rate. Methods: Data referring to endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy to treat hyperhidrosis between 2008 and 2019 were extracted from the database of the Brazilian Public Health System, which insures more than 160 million inhabitants. Results: Thirteen thousand two hundred one endoscopic thoracic sympathectomies to treat hyperhidrosis were performed from 2008 to 2019, with a rate of 68.44 procedures per 10 million inhabitants per year. There were 6 in-hospital deaths during the whole period, representing a mortality rate of 0.045%. The total expended throughout the years was U$ 6,767,825.14, with an average of U$ 512.68 per patient. Conclusions: We observed a rate of 68.44 thoracoscopic sympathectomies for hyperhidrosis' treatment per 10 million inhabitants per year. The inhospital mortality rate was very low, 0.045%, though not nil. To our knowledge, no published series is larger than ours and we are the first authors to formally report deaths after endoscopic thoracic sympathectomies to treat hyperhidrosis. Moreover, there is no other population-based study addressing costs and mortality rates of every endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for the treatment of any site of hyperhidrosis in a given period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy is currently the procedure of choice for the definitive treatment of primary hyperhidrosis, because it is an effective, safe, and minimally invasive method. In the search for better quality of life indexes, all researchers look for predictive factors indicating better surgical outcomes. Failure in the primary treatment, postoperative compensatory hyperhidrosis, body mass index over 25, level of resection of the sympathetic chain, and extent of resection are some of the factors that may negatively influence the results. The objective of this study was to compare, according to the age group, the quality of life after bilateral thoracic sympathectomy for treatment of primary hyperhidrosis in a cohort of 1,644 patients. Methods: From February 2000 to October 2008, data were collected from 1,644 patients with palmar (71%) or axillary (29%) hyperhidrosis who underwent video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy. The patients were divided into three groups according to their ages. The first group consisted of patients up to 17 years-old, the second from 18 to 30 years-old, and the third of over 30 years-old. All patients had a body mass index of less than 25. Results: In the evaluation 30 days after surgery, improvement of the quality of life in the three groups was observed. There was no significant difference between the age groups. In the present study, 91.9% of the patients presented compensatory hyperhidrosis, with no difference between the age groups. Conclusions: Patients with primary hyperhidrosis experience quality of life improvement after thoracic sympathectomy regardless of their age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Different techniques of video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy have been suggested to control the symptoms of axillary hyperhidrosis. We compared the results using two different levels of ganglion resection for treating axillary hyperhidrosis: T3/T4 vs. T4. Materials and Methods: From a group of 1119 patients operated on between July 2000 and January 2005, 276 patients with axillary hyperhidrosis were studied. The mean age was 26 (range, 13–54 years) and 61.6% were female. Of these patients, 216 (78.3%) were treated with thermal ablation of T3/T4 and 60 (21.7%) with thermal ablation of T4 alone. The procedures were bilateral and simultaneous, using two 5.5-mm trocars and 30-degree optical systems, under general anesthesia in all cases. Results: There was no mortality and no important postoperative complications or need to convert to thoracotomy in either group. The mean follow-up in the T4 group was 11 months (range, 2–23 months) and in the T3/T4 group mean follow-up was 24 months (range, 13–54 months). The immediate therapeutic success rate was 100% in both groups. There were recurrences in 7 (2.5%) patients, all from the T3/T4 group. The satisfaction rate was higher and more stable in the T4 group and compensatory sweating was lower in the T4 group. Conclusion: Both techniques proved effective for controlling the axillary symptoms. Group T4 presented a higher satisfaction rate, lower recurrence rate, and lower severity of compensatory sweating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: BackgroundThoracic sympathectomy is indicated to treat primary hyperhidrosis. The objective is to analyze the results and complications of thoracic sympathectomy and propose a questionnaire to assess the quality of life of patients.: MethodsBetween October 1995 and March 2002, 378 patients were evaluated. Sixty-two percent were female, with a mean age of 26.8 years old (range 9 to 70 years old). There were 57.4% patients with palmar-plantar hyperhidrosis; 25% with palmar, plantar, and axillary hyperhidrosis; 15.7% with pure axillary hyperhidrosis; and 6.5% with craniofacial hyperhidrosis. General anesthesia was used in 97.3%, epidural with sedation in 2.7%. The sympathetic chain was resected in 12.5%, thermal ablation with the electrical scalpel was performed in 66.3%, and with the harmonic scalpel in 21.2% of the patients.: ResultsSuccessful sympathectomies were performed in 90.3% of the patients; the follow-up was from 1 to 60 months (mean 12.4 ± 8.3 months). The recurrence rates were 8.2% for palmar hyperhidrosis, 13.7% for pure axillary hyperhidrosis, 27.5% of which were reoperated successfully. Improvement of the plantar hyperhidrosis was also registered in 58%. Horner''s syndrome was reported in 1% with regression in half of them after 30 days. No mortality or serious complications were observed, nor the need to convert to thoracotomy. Of the total number of patients, 93.4% answered the quality of life questionnaire, 86.4% of whom noted improvement after the procedure.: ConclusionsThoracic sympathectomy is a simple, effective, safe method for the treatment of hyperhidrosis, resulting in an improved quality of life for patients. The questionnaire documents this change. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]