University of Wisconsin Cardiovascular Surgery: The ETS Sympathectomy Procedure

Results

What to Expect After Surgery

After surgery, you be moved to the recovery area. The breathing tube that was inserted during the operation will have been removed in the operating room.

As soon as you wake up from surgery, you will notice an immediate effect. Your hands, and usually your feet, will be warm and dry.

We will remove one of the small chest tubes while you are in the recovery area. After approximately 2 hours, you will be moved to a regular hospital room. Shortly after you get to your room, we will remove the second chest tube.

Most patients return home within 24 hours. For some patients who need a little more time waking up from the anesthesia, an overnight stay may be required.

You will experience some pain around the incision sites. Most patients take oral pain medications or acetaminophen for 7 to 10 days following surgery.

You will return to the clinic for a follow-up visit approximately one week after surgery. At that time, we will remove any remaining sutures. There are no activity restrictions after the surgery, and you should be able to return to work within one week.

UW Program Results

We have been performing this procedure since 1997. We have performed 38 ETS sympathectomies since 2001.

Most of our patients tolerate the procedure very well and have little discomfort after surgery. We make only 2 incisions on each side of the chest; many other centers make 3.

Our patients report excellent satisfaction. Nearly 100 percent are free of hyperhidrosis symptoms after surgery. None of our patients have required a second operation. Side effects, though minimal, may include:

Compensatory sweating. Approximately 40-50% of patients experience mild increased sweating in other parts of the body, such as the chest, back, or abdomen. In some patients, this is temporary; in others, it may be permanent.

During the operation, we remove, rather than seal, the sympathetic nerve chain. This may decrease the risk of compensatory hyperhidrosis.
Horner's Syndrome. Horner's Syndrome is a rare side effect that may occur if a nerve pathway is accidentally damaged during surgery. Symptoms include decreased sweating on the face, drooping of the eyelid, and a constricted pupil. In the unlikely event this happens, a plastic surgeon can correct the eyelid droop.

To date, none of our patients have developed Horner's Syndrome.