ENDOSCOPIC TRANSTHORACIC SYMPATHECTOMY WITH A FINE (2-MM) THORACOSCOPE IN PALMAR HYPERHIDROSIS - A CASE-REPORT

Endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is a minimally invasive m ethod, causing only small injuries and few complications, and requires only a short period of hospitalization. Therefore, this method has be en applied to patients with palmar hyperhidrosis to whom the conventio nal transthoracic sympathectomy, which is much more invasive, or thora cic sympathetic blockade, which often causes complications, cannot be applied. Conventional thoracoscopes, such as a resectoscope 8 mm in di ameter for urological operations, or a thoracoscope 5 mm in diameter, were usually used for this purpose, but they cause operative injuries. We performed ETS using a thoracoscope 2 mm in diameter (MiniSite 2 mm 0 degrees, USSC171303). Its visual field and handling were not inferi or to those of conventional thoracoscopes, and the operative injuries were only 2 mm in size. For the patient, a small scar of this size mea ns virtually no scar.