title: In the search for the treatment of compensatory sweating.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite success of thoracic sympathectomy (ETS), there are patients that develop postoperatively intensive sweating of the trunk. The aim of the study was to present outcomes of three of those methods: removal of the clips, clipping of T6-9, and regional abdomino-lumbar iontophoresis (RALI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Out of the group of 229 patients treated with ETS, there were 9 that requested removal of the clips, 3 were treated with T6-9 video thoracoscopic block, and 5 were treated with RALI. The intensity of the side effect has been evaluated subjectively (with overall and localized perception of intensity of sweating) and objectively (with gravimetry).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The removal of the clips resulted in slow (about 12 months) diminishing of the intensity of sweating of the trunk; but the symptom did not disappear to the degree satisfactory for the patients. The T6-9 block resulted in partial and transient diminishing of the symptom. The iontophoresis resulted in very promising short-term results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Removal of the clips from the sympathetic trunk does not provide resolution of compensatory sweating in 1 year of observation. T6-9 block does not provide remedy for compensatory hyperhidrosis. Regional abdomino-lumbar iontophoresis seems to be very promising, but further research and followup are mandatory.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, 7 Debinki Street, PL-80-210 Gdansk, Poland. wujstef@gumed.edu.pl
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stefaniak
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cwigon
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Łaski
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D007478:Iontophoresis / Q000379:methods; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013562:Sympathectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome