March 13, 2014
Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy
Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is surgery to treat sweating that is much heavier than normal. This condition is called hyperhidrosis. Usually the surgery is used to treat sweating in the palms or face. The sympathetic nerves control sweating. The surgery cuts these nerves to the part of the body that sweats too much.
Back to TopAlternative Names
Sympathectomy - endoscopic thoracic; ETC
Back to TopDescription
You will receive general anesthesia before surgery. This will make you asleep and pain-free.
Your surgeon will make 2 or 3 tiny surgical cuts under each arm.
- Your lung on this side will be deflated (collapsed) so that air will not move in and out of it during surgery. This gives your surgeon more room to work.
- A tiny camera called an endoscope will be inserted into your chest. Video from the camera will show on a monitor in the operating room. The surgeon will use the monitor to do your surgery.
- The surgeon will insert other small tools through the other cuts.
- Using these tools, your surgeon will find the nerves that control sweating in the problem area. These will be cut or destroyed.
- Your lung on this side will be inflated.
- The surgeon will close your cuts with sutures (stitches).
- A small drainage tube may be left in your chest for 1 day
After doing this procedure on one side of your body, the surgeon will do the same thing on the other side. The surgery takes about 1 to 3 hours.
Back to TopRisks
Risks of anesthesia are:
- Allergic reactions to medicines
- Breathing problems
Risks of surgery are:
Risks of this procedure are:
- Blood collection in the chest (hemothorax)
- Air collection in the chest (pneumothorax)
- Damage to arteries or nerves
- Horner syndrome (decreased facial sweating and drooping eyelids)
- Increased or new sweating
- Increased sweating in other areas of the body (compensatory sweating)
- Slowing of the heart beat
Surgeons who perform ETS must receive special training. Before having this surgery, make sure your surgeon has this training.
Back to TopReferences
Boley TM, Belangee KN, Markwell S, Hazelrigg SR. The effect of thoracoscopic sympathectomy on quality of life and symptom management of hyperhidrosis. J Am Coll Surg . 2007;3:435-438.
Krasna, MJ. Thoracoscopic sympathetectomy. Thorac Surg Clin. 2010;20;323-330.
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