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

Monday, July 25, 2011

Swelling and oedema associated with the interruption of preganglionic sympathetic tract


Swelling and oedema is often observed in patients with Raynaud's disease or causalgia after acute interruption of post-ganglionic sympathetic fibres such as a wide-spread sympathectomy. Complete sympathetic block dilates vein and capillary and increases peripheral pooling, which raises hydrostatic the shins and feet (fig 2), constipation and abdominal distention, and dysuria were observed. Oedema was not noted in the hands or face. There were no signs or abnormal laboratory data suggesting heart failure, renal failure, liver dysfunction, thyroid dysfunction or local inflammation. Venography of the left leg did not show obstruction in the deep veins. 

We showed that the preganglionic sympathetic tract in the spinal cord was often disturbed in patients with multiple sclerosis with myelopathy.' Most patients with complete transection of the spinal cord due to injury showed swelling of the lower limbs or oedema, but they gradually subsided within several months even without restoration of somatic function. Probably some compensatory mechanism improves the hydrostatic condition in the chronic stage and explains why oedema is not noted in patients with chronic autonomic failure syndrome. 


Journal ofNeurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry 1992;55:232-239
http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/55/3/232.1.full.pdf