BILATERAL THORACOSCOPY FOR SYMPATHECTOMY IN THE TREATMENT OF HYPERHIDROSIS

Thoracoscopic sympathectomy has been established as the least invasive technique with high success rates for treatment of palmary hyperhidro sis [1,4,5]. In our procedure both sides are treated during the same o peration. A bilateral thoracoscopy was performed in 20 patients for in capacitating hyperhidrosis immediate complications at operation were m inimal. All patients reported satisfaction with the procedure in spite of compensatory sweating. The short hospital stay has significant fin ancial benefits and these are increased if both sides are treated at t he same time. This procedure is more aggressive than the single side p rocedure but the morbidity is not increased. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.