[Results of thoracoscopic sympathectomy in hyperhidrosis of the upper extremities (author's transl)].

Thoracoscopic sympathectomy bei Kux's method was undertaken on 256 occasions for the treatment of 168 patients suffering from hyperhidrosis of the upper extremities. There were no operative fatalities. Thoracotomy was required in only 2 cases, the indication being intraoperative bleeding. 2 further patients developed a tension pneumothorax postoperatively necessitating drainage. The operation was successful in all but 2 cases. Division of the sympathetic chain between T1 and T2 suffices to achieve dryness of the hands; if underarm perspiration is to equally influenced then division of the sympathetic trunk must be extended caudally to the level of T5. On follow-up examination of 104 patients 2 and 10 years after the operation, a successful result was noted in 94% of cases. Unwanted side effects were vicarious and gustatory perspiration, which arose in 39% and 56% of cases respectively, but did not affect the successful outcome of the operation.