The amount of compensatory sweating depends on the patient, the damage that the white rami communicans incurs, and the amount of cell body reorganization in the spinal cord after surgery.
Other potential complications include inadequate resection of the ganglia, gustatory sweating, pneumothorax, cardiac dysfunction, post-operative pain, and finally Horner’s syndrome secondary to resection of the stellate ganglion.
www.ubcmj.com/pdf/ubcmj_2_1_2010_24-29.pdf

After severing the cervical sympathetic trunk, the cells of the cervical sympathetic ganglion undergo transneuronic degeneration
After severing the sympathetic trunk, the cells of its origin undergo complete disintegration within a year.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0442.1967.tb00255.x/abstract

Friday, April 25, 2008

Endoscopic sympathicotomy and endoscopic sympathetic block strongly influence typical symptoms of patients with social phobia

Social phobia is an anxiety disorder which causes fear and anxiety in social interaction or performance situations and can in its worst forms be very debilitating. The patients tend to isolate themselves and suffer from comorbid disorders such as depression, other anxiety disorders and drug and alcohol abuse. Traditional treatment methods such as medication and psychotherapy cause improvement in only 50–70% of patients. METHODS: 164 patients who had been suffering from social phobia for at least 5 years and who were resistant to conservative treatment (medication and/or psychotherapy) were enrolled in this open, uncontrolled, prospective follow-up study. 71 patients underwent endoscopic sympathicotomy (cauterisation); 93 underwent endoscopic sympathetic block (clamping) of the T2–T3 ganglia. Severity of psychic and physical symptoms was assessed by a modified version of Davidson’s brief social phobia scale and patients’ satisfaction was evaluated 1, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Fear of observation, performance anxiety and embarrassment were alleviated and alertness increased. Likewise, palpitations, trembling of hands and heads, blushing and hyperhidrosis were relieved. All changes were statistically significant. Patients’ satisfaction was high and remained stable over time. Gender, age, and education did not influence satisfaction rates. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic sympathicotomy and endoscopic sympathetic block strongly influence typical symptoms of patients with social phobia.
JournalEuropean Surgery
Volume 37, Number 3 / June, 2005


http://www.springerlink.com/content/w986882515290647/