Reconstruction of the Sympathetic Chain.
There is a small subset of patients who have undergone endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis or facial blushing who are dissatisfied and would wish reversal. Compensatory sweating is the most common side effect that causes a person to regret surgery. Treatment options are limited and usually not effective in patients with severe side effects from sympathectomy. Nerve graft interposition has been proven to be effective in experimental models and small clinical series. Da Vinci robotic nerve graft reconstruction with interposition graft and direct suturing of nerve and high magnification dissection most closely mirrors standard nerve reconstruction principles when done as a minimally invasive procedure.
Dyson Center, Thoracic Oncology, Vassar Brothers Medical Center, 3rd Floor, 45 Reade Place, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, USA. Electronic address: cconnery@health-quest.org.
Cliff P
CP
Connery
D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000601:surgery*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012086:Reoperation; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013562:Sympathectomy; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Da Vinci robot; Interposition graft; Nerve reconstruction; Video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy