Sympathectomy

Abstract

The indications for low cervical — upper thoracic sympathectomy include causalgia, Sudeck’s post—traumatic dystrophy, post—traumatic neuralgia, hyperhydrosis and vascular disease. Our experience in recent wars has once again taught us the importance of sympathectomy early in the course of the patient’s symptoms. To be effective, sympathectomy should be done within three months of the onset of symptoms. The author prefers the anterior cervical approach because of its technical case and because of the absence of post—operative incisional pain. There is no difficulty in reaching as low as the third thoracic ganglion with this approach.