• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.995-997
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• 2000

내장의 통증은 교감신경을 통하여 척수로 전달된다고 알려져있다. 특히 췌장염이나 췌장암의 통증에 관해서 Mallet-Guy 등이 1943년 큰내장신경 및 요교감신경절 절제술을 시행한 이래로 상기 방법이 이용되어 왔다. 내장신경 절제술은 효과에 비해 수술이 커지고, 긴 바늘을 이용한 복강신경총 차단술이 발달하면서 사장된 방법으로 여겨졌다. 그러나, 최근에 흉강경을 이용한 수술방법이 발달하면서 간단히 큰내장신경 절제술이 가능해져 흉강경을 이용한 큰내장신경 절단술은 난치성 복통치료의 좋은 방법으로 받아 들여지고 있다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.465-470
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• 1999

Background: Facial hyperhidrosis patients have as much difficulty in personal relationships as the palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis patients. There have been no appropriate treatment, but recently, satisfactory results have been obtained through sympathetic blockade. Thoracoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for facial hyperhidrosis has been known to resect cervicothoracic (stellate) ganglion, but its inherent complications such as Horner syndrome have made the surgeons hesitant to use this method. We, through our experiences in treating palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis for the past 6 years, believed that T2 sympathicotomy would be enough for facial hyperhidrosis and have experimented and obtained satisfactory results. Material and Method: From June 1997 to May 1998, 38 consecutive patients underwent bilateral thoracoscopic T2 sympathicotomy with 2mm instruments at Seoul National University Hospital. Result: All patients were relieved of excessive sweating in their faces immediately after the operation. Postoperatively, 5 patients (13.2%) required insertion of chest tubes because 3 had incomplete reexpansion of the lung, and 2 had hemothorax from severe adhesion. Other complications related to the surgical procedures, such as Horner's syndrome, and brachial plexus injury, were not detected in any cases. The mean hospital stay was mean 1.7$\pm$0.9 days after surgery. Conclusion: T2 sympathetic ganglion is the appropriate resection site for facial hyperhidrosis, and complications such as Horner syndrome can be prevented by not cutting the stellate ganglion. In addition, it is possible to perform the operation by using a 2 mm thoracoscopic instrument, and may obtain much better results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.813-817
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• 1999

Background: Conventional thoracoscopic thoracic sympathectomy or sympathicotomy is an effective method in treating localized hyperhidrosis; however, this may result in a postoperatively embarrassing compensatory hyperhidrosis or facial anhidrosis in the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis. We modified the conventional sympathicotomy by limiting the extent of nerve transection. The purpose of this study was to assess the result of the limited thoracoscopic sympathetic nerve transection in hyperhidrosis. Material and Method: From May to August 1998, 17 patients underwent limited transection of the sympathetic nerve. For 9 patients with facial hyperhidrosis, we transected only the interganglionic fiber between the first and the second ganglion, whereas the conventional method cuts two interganglionic fibers. Eight patients with palmar hyperhidrosis underwent limited transection of the interganglionic fiber between the second and third ganglion. Result: Sixteen patients had improved symptom postoperatively. There was a recurred facial sweating in 1 patient 1 month after the operation. Among the 9 facial hyperhidrosis patients, postoperative compensatory hyperhidrosis was severe in 4, moderate in 4 and minimal in 1. But in 8 cases of palmar hyperhidrosis compensatory hyperhidrosis was moderate in 3, and minimal in 1, none in 4. Facial sweating was not disturbed postoperatively in all of the palmar hyperhidrosis patients. Conclusion: Limited sympathetic nerve transection is a practical and less invasive method for the treatment of localized hyperhidrosis and may reduce the incidence of compensatory truncal hyperhidrosis and facial anhidrosis in case of palmar hyperhidrosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.182-188
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• 2003

Background: Although ramicotomy (division of the rami communicantes of the thoracic sympathetic ganglia) is a selective and physiological surgical method for essential hyperhidrosis, it has some problems such as higher recurrence rates and the different surgical results among the patients and between left and right sides in the same individual. As one of the factors that are related to the differences in surgical result and recurrences, we investigated the anatomical variations of the rami communicantes. The purpose of this study is to help develop new surgical methods to decrease surgical differences among the patients or between the left and right sides of the same individual and recurrence rates in the clinical application of ramicotomy. Material and Method: We dissected 118 thoracic sympathetic chains in 59 adult Korean cadavers (male: 33, female: 26) to examine the anatomical variations of the rami communicantes from the second to the fourth thoracic sympathetic ganglia that have major components innervating to the hands. After the dissection of bilateral thoracic sympathetic chains, we compared the anatomy of left and right sides and examined the anatomical variations of rami communicantes. Result: The number and variation of communicating rami connecting the spinal nerves and the second sympathetic thoracic ganglion were much larger than lower levels. There was considerably less variability in the anatomy of the rami communicantes at successive levels. Among the 59 cadavers dissected, only 14.3% (9/59) had similar anatomy of thoracic sympathetic chains at both sides. As the components related to the essential palmar hyperhidrosis, intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz from the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the first intercostal nerve or brachial plexus were observed in 55.9% (66/118). The incidence of descending rami communicates from the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the third intercostal nerve and from the third thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the fourth intercostal nerve were 49.2% (58/118) and 28.0% (33/118). And the incidence of ascending rami communicates from the third thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the second intercostal nerve and from the fourth thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the third intercostal nerve were 6.8% (8/118) and 3.4% (4/118), respectively. Conclusion: Based on the various anatomical evidences of the rami communicantes from this study, only the ramicotomy at the third sympathetic ganglion level is insufficient for the treatment of the essential palmar hyperhidrosis to decrease the difference of surgical results and recurrences. When one is planning to perform the ramicotomy for the essential palmar hyperhidrosis, it is advantageous to divide the intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz on the second rib and the descending or ascending rami communicantes on the third and the fourth ribs as well as all the communicating rami from the third sympathetic ganglion.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.171-174
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• 1999

Background: Hyperhidrosis of the palms, axillae and face has a strong negative impact on social and professional life. The present existing non-operative therapeutic options seldom give sufficient relief and have a transient effect. A definitive cure can be obtained by upper thoracic sympathectomy. However, this is offset by the occurrence of a high rate of side effects, such as embarrassing compensatory sweating. Material and Method: From Sep. 1997 to Feb. 1998, 89 cases of the needle(2 mm) thoracoscopic thoracic sympathicotomy were performed. The second thoracic ganglion was resected by cutting with a endoscissors. Result: A bilateral procedure takes less than 25 min and requires just one night in hospital. There have been no mortality or life-threatening complications. One patient(<2%) required intercostal drainage because of pneumothorax. Primary failure occurred in one cases(<2%) and recurrent hyperhidrosis occurred in no cases. The patients with failure was successfully re-sympathicotomy. At the end of postoperative follow-up(median 3 months), 96.6% of the patients were satisfied. Compensatory sweating occurred in 57 cases(64.0%) with fourteen of those cases classified as either embarrassing in 10 cases(11.2%) or disabling in 4 cases(4.5%). Conclusion: Endoscopic transthoracic sympathicotomy is an efficient, safe and minimally invasive surgical method for the treatment of palmar and craniofacial hyperhidrosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.461-464
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• 1999

Background: Thoracoscopic T2 sympathicotomy is an effective method for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis. Not only are the symptoms of hyperhidrosis abolished but also the temperature of the ipsilateral palm is elevated due to the sympatholytic vasodilation after the completion of the sympathicotomy on the first side. However little is known about the temperature changes in the contralateral palm. This study was performed to evaluate the changes in both palmar temperatures during the thoracoscopic T2 sympathicotomy for palmar hyperhidrosis. Material and Method: Thoracoscopic T2 sympathicotomy was performed in 15 patients with primary palmar hyperhidrosis. Surface temperatures of both palms were monitored continuously and were recorded simultaneously during the 7 different stages of the operation. Result: When T2 sympathicotomy was performed on the first(left) side, an ipsilateral increase with a contralateral decrease of temperature was observed. The difference in the temperature of both palms was greatest just before the sympathicotomy on the contralateral(right) side(Lt. 34.6$\pm$0.9$^{\circ}C$ vs. Rt. 31.6$\pm$1.3$^{\circ}C$, P<0.0001). After the sympathicotomy on the second(right) side, temperature of the right palm was elevated. The difference in the temperature of both palms was abolished at the end of the operation(Lt.34.7$\pm$0.9$^{\circ}C$ vs. Rt.34.4$\pm$1.$0^{\circ}C$, P=0.415). Conclusion: When T2 sympathicotomy was performed on the first side, an ipsilateral palmar temperature increased due to the sympatholytic vasodilation. However contralateral palmar temperature decreased due to a vasoconstriction. Although the mechanism of vasoconstriction is still unknown, it is postulated that there may be a cross- inhibitory effect by the post-ganglionic neurons innervating blood vessels of the palm.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.8 s.253
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• pp.570-575
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• 2005

Background: Video-assisted thoracic sympathicotomy plays an important role as an effective method for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis. People with axillary hyperhidrosis were not satisfied by the occurrence of the high rate of disabling compensatory hyperhidrosis and axillary resweating. Therefore, by comparing and assessing the clincal results according to the level and extent of sympathicotomy in axillary hyperhidrosis, we aim to determine which method will result in maximal benefits. Material and Method: Among 70 patients suffering from axillary hyperhidrosis having undergone thoracoscopic sympathicotomy from January 2001 through December 2003, 57 patients who responded to either telephone interview or questionnaire were included in the current study. The patients were divided into two groups, Group 1 (n=25): patients having undergone R3, 4, 5 sympathicotomy which consist of blocking the interganglionic neural fiber on the third, fourth, and fifth rib, Group 11 (n=32): patients having undergone R3,4 sympathicotomy which consist of blocking the interganglionic neural fiber on the third and fourth rib. The study parameters were satisfaction rate and degree of compensatory sweating. Result: There was no difference on age and sex, family history, combined hyperhidrosis, and mean follow up month between the two groups. Patients expressing satisfaction were $88.0\%$ in group and $56.3\%$ in groups 11 with statistically significant difference (p=0.02). Moderate to severe compensatory sweating were $52.0\%$ (embrassing 6 patients, disabling 7 patients) in group 1 and $62.5\%$ (embrassing 5 patients, disabling 15 patients) in groups 11 with no significance in the statistical analysis. Conclusion: R3, 4, 5 sympathicotomy was an effective means of treating axillary hyperhidrosis because of higher long term satisfaction rate.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1089-1093
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• 1998

Background: In 1992, we first developed the technique for video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy to treat palmar hyperhidrosis. It was soon proven to be a simple and effective therapy for essential hyperhidrosis. Clinically, patients suffereing from distressing hyperhidrosis in their heads and faces were observed. Materials and methods: From March 1997 to March 1998, the vidio-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy and sympathicotomy were performed in 60 patients suffering from craniofacial hyperhidrosis in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in the Respiratory Center of Yongdong Severance Hospital Seoul, Korea. Thirty-nine patients underwent a conventional sympathectomy(T1 sympathectomy group), and twenty-one patients underwent division of the sympathetic nerve trunk above the T2 sympathetic ganglion(T2 sympathicotomy). The median follow up was 9 months. Results: All of the treated patients obtained satisfactory alleviation of craniofacial hyperhidrosis. No recurrence was observed in group T1 sympathectomy whereas one occurred in sympathicotomy. The global rate of compensatory sweating was about the same in both groups ; 76.9% in T1 sympathectomy and 76.2% in T2 sympathicotomy. The rate of embarrassing and disabling compensatory sweating was 38.5% in T1 sympathectomy and 38.1% in T2 sympathicotomy with no significant in the statistic analysis(p> 0.05). No transient Horner's syndrome was observed in group T2 sympathicotomy whereas seven occurred in T1 sympathectomy with improvement in follow-up. Only an overnight hospital stay was required in both group. Conclusions: The video-assist thoracoscopic sympathicotomy is minimally invasive and effective. Video-assisted thoracoscopic T2 sympathicotomy has proven to be effective method and less complicated in treating patients with distressing craniofacial hyperhidrosis and consistent in obtaining the same results as T1 sympathectomy.