COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY-GUIDED PERCUTANEOUS T HORACIC SYMPATHECTOMY FOR TREATMENT OF HYPERHIDROSIS AND CRITICAL ISCHEMIA - A REPORT OF 17 CASES

We report our experience with percutaneous thoracic sympathectomy usin g computed tomography-guided injection of phenol in 17 patients. A tot al of 24 neurolyses were performed in outpatients. Indications were pa lmo-plantar hyperhidrosis in 10 patients and severe Raynaud phenomena in 7 cases (Sharp's syndrom = 2, sclerodermia = 3, Raynaud's syndrome = 1, digital arteritis = 1). Conventional treatment had failed in all patients. Cure was obtained in all cases of hyperhidrosis. For the pat ients with critical ischemia, there was temporary improvement which al lowed wound healing, but recurrence was the rule within 6 months on av erage. Complications included pneumothorax, brachial nevralgia which p ersisted for 4 months and 3 partial Claude-Bernard-Horner syndromes. T his technique is an inexpensive reliable method which can be used in c ase of contraindications or to avoid certain complications of endoscop ic surgery which remains the standard treatment. Percutaneous sympatho lysis in thus an interesting simple alternative.