Transthoracic endoscopic T-2, 3 sympathectomy for facial hyperhidrosis

Twenty-five patients (20 men and 5 women) with the chief complaint of facia l hyperhidrosis were treated by transthoracic endoscopic T-2, 3 sympathecto my. All patients were essentially in good health except the embarrassment o f facial sweating. Fifteen of them also suffered from distressing palmar hy perhidrosis. The ages ranged from 18 to 40 years (mean age 25 years). All of them except two obtained a satisfactory improvement of facial hyperh idrosis after 3 months to 2 years of follow-up, One man demonstrated very m ild ptosis in the right eye. Pre- and postoperative sympathetic skin respon se (SSR) revealed the absence rate from 20% to 72% with electrical stimulat ion (p < 0.05). This study shows that T-2, 3 sympathectomy is a choice of treatment for fac ial hyperhidrosis and sympathetic supply to the face may at least partly be from T-2, 3 level. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.