Sympathetic nerve reconstruction for compensatory hyperhidrosis after sympathetic surgery for primary hyperhidrosis

Abstract

We performed sympathetic nerve reconstruction using intercostal nerve in patients with severe compensatory hyperhidrosis after sympathetic surgery for primary hyperhidrosis, and analyzed the surgical results. From February 2004 to August 2007, sympathetic nerve reconstruction using intercostal nerve was performed in 19 patients. The subjected patients presented severe compensatory hyperhidrosis after thoracoscopic sympathetic surgery for primary hyperhidrosis. Reconstruction of sympathetic nerve was performed by thoracoscopic surgery except in 1 patient with severe pleural adhesion. The median interval between the initial sympathetic surgery and sympathetic nerve reconstruction was 47.2 (range: 3.5-110.7) months. Compensatory sweating after the reconstruction surgery improved in 9 patients, and 3 out of them had markedly improved symptoms. Sympathetic nerve reconstruction using intercostal nerve may be one of the useful surgical options for severe compensatory hyperhidrosis following sympathetic surgery for primary hyperhidrosis.