• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.297-299
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• 2003

Thoracoscopic syrnpathicotomy is effective in treating not only palmar hyperhidrosis, but, also in treating axillary hyperhidrosis. In previous studies in Korea, sympathicotomy was focused on combinations including the End to 4th sympathetic chains (R2, 3, 4). Using a minimally invasive technique, the results of sympathicotomy of the 4th and 5th chains (R4, 5) of five patients, from February to August, 2002, for axillary hyperhidrosis without osmidrosis, were reviewed. All patients had a successful operation, their profuse sweating ceased. Three patients suffered from some degree of compensatory sweating. Among the three patients, only one patient suffered from moderate compensatory sweating over his back and thighs. Thoracoscopic R4, 5 sympathicotomy offers a very appealing method in the treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis in patients who have profuse axillary sweating.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.197-201
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• 2017

Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathicotomy has been determined to be the best way to treat palmar hyperhidrosis. However, satisfaction with the surgical outcomes decreases with the onset of compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) over time. The ideal level of sympathicotomy is controversial. Therefore, we compared the long-term results of R3 and R4 sympathicotomy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 186 patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathicotomy between September 2001 and September 2015. We analyzed the long-term results with respect to hand sweating and CH, and the overall satisfaction in 186 patients. Results: With respect to hand sweating, significantly more patients complained of overly dry hands in the R3 group (25% versus 3.7%, p<0.001) and of mildly wet hands in the R4 group (2.9% versus 13.4%, p=0.007). There was a significantly increased occurrence rate of CH in the R3 group (97.1% versus 65.9%, p< 0.001). The most frequent site of CH was the trunk area. The overall satisfaction was higher in the R4 group, but without significance (75% versus 85.4%, p=0.082). Significantly more patients reported being very satisfied in the R4 group (5.8% versus 22.0%, p=0.001). Conclusion: T he R4 group had a higher rate of satisfaction than the R3 group with respect to hand sweating. CH and hand dryness were significantly less common in the R4 group than in the R3 group. The lower occurrence of hand dryness and CH resulted in a higher satisfaction rate in the R4 group.

• 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.41 no.3
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• pp.343-346
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• 2008

Background: Thoracoscpic sympathicotomy is an effective treatment for essential hyperhidrosis. Patients are generally satisfied with the surgery at the early post operative period, but they suffer from recurrence and compensatory sweating at the late post operative period. There are many sympathicotomy methods for minimizing recurrence and the compensatory sweating. We compared the outcome from between the R3 and R4 sympathicotomy methods for the symptoms, atisfaction, recurrence and compensatory sweating. Material and Method: From January 1999 to July 2007, 39 cases of thoracoscopic sympathicotomy at the 3rd rib (R3) and 72 cases of thoracoscopic sympathicotomy at the 4th rib (R4) for treating palmar hyperhidrosis were compared for the early and late satisfaction, the compensatory sweating and recurrence. Result: There is no difference of gender and age for the 2 groups. Early satisfaction was reported by 94.9% of the R3 patients and by 98.7% of the R4 patients. 84.6% of the R3 patients reported late satisfaction and 87.5% of the R4 patients reported late satisfaction. There were no significant differences between the groups for the early and late satisfaction. But there was a difference between the groups for compensatory sweating (23.1% in the R3 group and 9.7% in the R4 group (p=0.020)). The reoperation rate due to recurrence was 5.1% in the R3 group and 4.2% in the R4 group. There was no significant difference between the groups for recurrence. Conclusion: R4 sympathicotomy has excellent therapeutic results for compensatory sweating as compared to R3 sympathicotomy for treating palmar hyperhidrosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.530-535
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• 2004

Background: Thoracoscopic R3 (above the third rib)sympathicotomy has been performed as an effective method in treating palmar hyperhidrosis because it is effective in eliminating the symptoms of hyperhidrosis and has lower degree of compensatory hyperhidrosis than that of sympathectomy. Most of the results published were based on the short-term follow up. So we evaluated the intermediate term follow up results of the R3 sympathicotomy. Material and Method: From April 1999 to August 2001, ninety-four patients with palmar hyperhidrosis had been treated by R3 sympathicotomy at the Inha University Hospital. Follow-up study was completed for 76 patients (male 38, female 38) and average follow-up period were 25$\pm$9.1 (15∼50) months. The sympathetic trunk passing above the upper border of third rib was divided by electric cautery. The patient's satisfaction after surgery was estimated using the analogue scale from score 0 to 100 (100 means perfect satisfaction). Result. The scale of patient's satisfaction immediately after operation was 92.36$\pm$9.93. After 15 months, the scale of satisfaction was decreased to average 71.80$\pm$20.24 and it is statiscally significant. The cause of dissatisfaction were compensatory hyper-hidrosis and recurrence of symptom. The degree of sweating immediately after operation was mean 0 and after 15 months it increased to mean 1.5. The degree of the compensatory hyperhidrosis immediately after operation was mean 1 and it increased to mean 5 after 15 months. Conclusion: R3 sympathicotomy has excellent therapeutic results immediately after operation but therapeutic effectiveness is becoming to decrease 15 months after operation. The common causes of dissatisfaction are compensatory hyperhidrosis and recurrence of hyperhidrosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 2008

Background: Thoracoscopic R3 sympathicotomy can effectively treat palmar hyperhidrosis. Here, we evaluated post-operative outcomes of patients receiving a thoracoscopic R3 sympathicotomy due to palmar hyperhidrosis. Material and Method: From January 2001 to December 2006, 225 patients were treated with a R3 sympathicotomy, and follow up was completed for 200 patients, with an average follow up period of 51.7 ($11{\sim}80$) months. We measured postoperative hand sweating according to four grades; dry (grade 1), proper (grade 2), light sweating (grade 3), heavy sweating (grade 4) and evaluated patient satisfaction using 4 grades: very good (grade 0), good (grade1), regular (grade 2), and deficient (grade 3). Result: There were no differences in clinical parameters between the compensatory sweating group and the non-compensatory sweating group. There was a 83.5% compensatory sweating rate. The degree of compensatory sweating related to the patient's body mass index and was influenced by the season, environmental temperature, and emotional stress. Conclusion: The satisfaction rate was 61.5%, and the degree of satisfaction related to the development of compensatory sweating. Therefore, reducing compensatory sweating would increase patient satisfaction with R3 sympathicotomies.