[A comparison of T3 sympathectomy versus T4 sympathectomy in the treatment of primary palmer hyperhidrosis].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect and side effect of T(3) versus T(4) sympathectomy in the surgical management of primary palmar hyperhidrosis through prospective multi-center randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
From Sep 2004 to Feb 2006, 106 consecutive patients (49 males and 54 females) with primary palmar hyperhidrosis were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned into T(3) or T(4) level sympathectomy groups. 66 patients received T(3) sympathetic chain transection and 37 patients received T(4) sympathetic chain transection. The two groups were comparable in all other parameters.


RESULTS
All procedures were carried out successfully without severe morbidity or mortality. After a mean follow-up period of 8.6 months, both groups remained satisfactory in palmar sweating control. The T(4) group had more moisture hands compared with the T(3) branch (54.1% vs 15.2%, P < 0.01), but this didn't compromise the patients' satisfactory. The patients in T(4) group showed significantly less dry hand problems than the patients in the T(3) group (5.4% vs. 25.8%, P < 0.05), and so did compensatory sweating (21.6% vs. 45.6%, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The procedure of T(3) or T(4) sympathectomy, both transecting the sympathetic chain in one single position in relatively lower segment, are comparatively effective in the treatment of primary palmar hyperhidrosis, but T(4) sympathectomy shows less side effect.
Liu
Yan-guo
YG
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Center of Thoracic Mini-invasive Surgery, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100044, China.
Yang
Jie
J
Wang
Jun
J
Liu
Jun
J
Li
Jian-feng
JF
Jiang
Guan-chao
GC
Huang
Yu-qing
YQ
Yang
Fan
F
Zhao
Hui
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013562:Sympathectomy / Q000379:methods*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome