Comparison of only T3 and T3-T4 sympathectomy for axillary hyperhidrosis regarding treatment effect and compensatory sweating.

OBJECTIVES

Patients diagnosed with axillary hyperhidrosis can face psychosocial issues that can ultimately hinder their quality of life both privately and socially. The routine treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis is T3-T4 sympathectomy, but compensatory sweating is a serious side effect that is commonly seen with this approach. This study was designed to evaluate whether a T3 sympathectomy was effective for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis and whether this treatment led to less compensatory sweating than T3-T4 sympathectomies among our 60-patient population.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty endoscopic thoracic sympathectomies were performed on 60 patients who had axillary hyperhidrosis. The sympathectomies were accomplished by means of a single-lumen endotracheal tube and a single port. The axillary hyperhidrosis patients were randomly divided into two groups with 17 patients in Group 1 undergoing T3-T4 sympathectomies and 43 in Group 2 undergoing only T3 sympathectomies. We analysed the data associated with the resolution of axillary hyperhidrosis, the degree of patient satisfaction with the surgical outcome and the quality of life in parallel with compensatory sweating after the procedure as reported by the patient and confirmed by the examiner. Moreover, the results were compared statistically.

RESULTS

No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups based on age (P=0.56), gender (P=0.81), duration of the surgery (P=0.35) or postoperative satisfaction levels (P=0.45). However, the incidence and degree of compensatory sweating were lower in the T3 group than the T3-T4 group at the 1-year follow-up (P=0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

T3 sympathectomy was as effective as T3-T4 sympathectomy for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis based on the patients' reported postoperative satisfaction, and the T3 group demonstrated lower compensatory sweating at the 1-year follow-up.