• 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.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.745-748
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• 1999

Background: A definitive cure for an essential hyperhidrosis can be obtained by an upper thoracic sympathectomy. However, this is offset by the occurrence of a compensatory hyper hidrosis as a side effect and it is irreversible. We performed a thoracoscopic sympathetic chain block using an endoscopic clip in order to avoid the compensatory hyperhidrosis. Material and Method: From Aug. 1998 to Nov. 1998, 42 cases of thoracoscopic clipping of the T2 sympathetic chain were performed. The sympathetic chain was clipped using an endoscopic clip instead of cutting. Result: Bilateral procedure took less than 40 minutes and occasionally necessitated one night in the hospital. There were no mortality nor life- threatening complications. Horners syndrome occurred in two cases. At the end of postoperative follow-up(median 3 months), 95.0% of the patients were satisfied with the results. Compensatory sweating occurred in 31 cases(77.5%) where nine of those cases were classified as either embarrassing(6 cases-15.0%) or disabling(3 cases-7.5%). Conclusion: Endoscopic thoracic T2 sympathetic chain block using endoscopic clipping is an efficient, safe and minimally invasive surgical method for the treatment of palmar and craniofacial hyperhidrosis and the results were similar to those underwent T2 sympathicotomy. We recommend that patients receive endoscopic sympathetic chain block in summer.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.701-703
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• 2002

The result of compensatory sweating after surgical treatment for essential hyperhidrosis had problems in objectivity and validity because it mainly depended on the subjective symptoms of patients. Therefore, we tried to evaluate more precisely and objectively, the distribution and degree of compensatory sweating by D.I.T.I.(Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging) with subjective symptoms.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.595-601
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• 2003

Background: It has been known that the most effective treatment method of hyperhidrosis is video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathetic nerve block. Postoperative compensatory hyperhidrosis and anhidrosis are major factors that decrease the postoperative satisfaction. Although sympathetic rami have been selectively blocked to decrease the complications, technical difficulties and excessive bleeding have prevented the universal application. Material and Method: Three pre-fixative cadavers were dissected before clinical application. Bilateral sympathetic chains were exposed in supine position after the whole anterior chest wall was removed. Second and third sympathetic rami were blocked using clips. After the sympathetic chains including ganglia were removed, we evaluated the extents of rami block. Twenty-five patients were subjected to the clinical application. Surgeries were performed in semi-fowlers position under general anesthesia and bilateral ventilation. 2 mm thoracoscopy and 5 mm trocar were intro-duced through third and fourth intercostal space, respectively. Second and third sympathetic rami were blocked using thoracoscopic clips. The postoperative complications, satisfaction, and compensatory hyperhidrosis rate were evaluated retrospectively. Result: Sympathetic rami were completely blocked in cadaver dissection study Hyper-hidrosis symptom was improved in all patients without operative complication. Operative time was shorter than that of traditional ramicotomy. All patients, except four, were satisfied with postoperative palmar hyperhidrosis. Com-pensatory hyperhidrosis was more severely happened in fifteen patients (60%). The remaining six patients had no complaint. Two patients had a minimal degree of gustatory hyperhidrosis. Conclusion: This operative method had shorter operative time and less complication rate, compared with traditional ramicotomy Operative success rate was similar to the traditional syrnpathicotorny; lower extent and occurrence rate of compensatory hyperhidrosis. The thoracic sympathetic rami clipping was suggested as an alternative method for treatment 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.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.