OBJECTIVE Hyperhidrosis (Hh) and facial blushing (Fb) are conditions caused by hyperactivity of the sympathetic system; they affect around 2% of the population. Severe cases have been typically treated with thoracic sympathectomy through a minimally invasive approach. We sought to determine if severe Hh and/or Fb patients, who are reluctant to go through an operation with general anaesthesia, c...

BACKGROUND Vasospastic disorders (acrocyanosis, Raynaud's syndrome, causalgia) can arise from different etiologic factors, but the pathogenesis is always represented by an altered mechanism of vasal motility. Upper dorsal sympathectomy has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for these disorders by decreasing peripheral resistances. Surgical technique has shown long-lasting results, a...

The present study aimed to investigate the chronic effects of caudal artery sympathectomy on thermoregulatory adjustments induced by passive heating. Male Wistar rats were subjected to two surgical procedures: caudal artery denervation (CAD) or sham surgery (Sham-CAD) and intraperitoneal implantation of a temperature sensor. On the day of the experiments, the animals were exposed to an ambient ...

The aim of the present study is to investigate the mechanisms of suppression of splenic natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity caused by cold stress, using 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) as chemical sympathectomy. The NK activity was measured by (51)chromium release assay. Central sympathectomy with intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of 6-OHDA reduced significantly the elevation of plasma cortico...

Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy is routinely used to treat severe hyperhidrosis. It is usually performed at the T2-T3 level of the nerve, but may produce less severe compensatory hidrosis if performed at a lower level. This study evaluates the outcome of 1,274 patients who underwent endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for plamar, plantar, axillary or facial hyperhidrosis/blushing. Half of the p...

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical results and the degree of satisfaction of patients submitted to thoracic sympathectomy at the level of the fourth and fifth ribs (R4-R5) for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis. METHODS We included 118 patients diagnosed with axillary hyperhidrosis and having undergone axillary sympathectomy at the R4-R5 level between March of 2003 and December of 2007 a...