National Center of Excellence for Hyperhidrosis Treatment

ETS for Hyperhidrosis - What is Better ? Cutting, Burning or Clipping the Sympathetic Nerve Trunk

By: Hratch Karamanoukian, MD and Raffy Karamanoukian, MD

August 15, 2008

Blockage of sympathetic ganglia is achieved by segmental resection, transection and/or cauterization, and clipping of the chain.

Researchers in Turkey looked at 80 patients in a standardized study where 20 were randomized to have resection of the chosen segment of the sympathetic nerve trunk; Twenty patients had transaction (cutting) of the nerve; 20 had altation of the nerve with electrocautery and 20 had titanium clipping of the nerve.

The primary success rate for isolated palmar hyperhidrosis was 96.3 %; for palmar and axillary hydrosis it was 95.7 % and for palmar and face/scalp hyperhidrosis it was 66.7 %. No recurrence was observed. The overall success rate of the operation was 95 % and the differences between the four groups were not statistically significant.

In the clipping group, the duration of the surgical procedure was significantly shorter than in the other groups. Complication rates were similar among the groups. The researchers at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gulhane Haydarpasa Military Academy of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey concluded that thoracic endoscopic sympathetic blockage yields similar results irrespective of the surgical technique adopted

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For more information about hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) , as well as surgical and non-surgical hyperhidrosis treatment options, contact Dr. Karamanoukian at The Center for Excessive Sweating, a National Center of Excellence for Hyperhidrosis Treatment by email or by phone at (716) 839-3638.

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National Center of Excellence for Hyperhidrosis Treatment

ETS for Hyperhidrosis - What is Better ? Cutting, Burning or Clipping the Sympathetic Nerve Trunk

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