The amount of compensatory sweating depends on the patient, the damage that the white rami communicans incurs, and the amount of cell body reorganization in the spinal cord after surgery.
Other potential complications include inadequate resection of the ganglia, gustatory sweating, pneumothorax, cardiac dysfunction, post-operative pain, and finally Horner’s syndrome secondary to resection of the stellate ganglion.
www.ubcmj.com/pdf/ubcmj_2_1_2010_24-29.pdf

After severing the cervical sympathetic trunk, the cells of the cervical sympathetic ganglion undergo transneuronic degeneration
After severing the sympathetic trunk, the cells of its origin undergo complete disintegration within a year.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0442.1967.tb00255.x/abstract

Friday, August 19, 2011

Intentional misrepresentation of the elective surgical sympathectomy is common practice

"Sweating is one form of regulating the body's temperature. If the operation prevents sweating in one area, it is possible that patients will notice a greater amount of sweating elsewhere in their body in order to compensate. This is called "compensatory sweating" and can occur on the face, abdomen, back, buttocks, thighs, or feet. While this is a mild nuisance for most patients, occasionally (5-10% of the time) it can be severe and interfere with the patient's lifestyle. If it occurs, it usually improves within 6 months."
http://thoracic.surgery.virginia.edu/general-thoracic/general-thoracic-conditions-treatment/hyperhidrosis/


Mia: None of the 'facts' listed in the above text can be supported by scientific evidence. The information illustrates the myths spread on the internet by those who have a financial interest in offering ETS, - an interest that overrides the medical and ethical obligations of the medical profession. 
The so called "compensatory sweating" is NOT compensatory, and the only study looking into  this concluded that patients did sweat more after ETS. 
If this side-effect  of the elective surgery (intentional neurological injury/lesion) would be "compensatory" in order to maintain thermoregulation, it would be observed after botox or ionthoporesis treatment as well. Hyperhidrosis (reflex hyperhidrosis)  is an usual finding in people after spinal cord injuries (especially above T6) and in diabetics due to damage to the SNS. It is a pathological response to injury.

 No evidence can support - and there is clear contrary evidence -   that if this compensatory sweating would occur, it would diminish in 6 months. It is all part of the intentional misrepresentation of elective surgeries to make them appear more appealing and safer than they are.