PREFACE:

Videothoracoscopic sympathectomy (VTS) is the gold standard treatment for the upper extremity hyperhidrosis (HH) because it is safe and has good results.

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate retrospectively the long term results of VTS for the treatment of HH on 50 operated patients in the Maule Region from the year 2003 to september of 2015.

METHODS:

For axillary HH a T2 to T4 VTS was performed, and T3 VTS for palmar HH. All the patients were operated bilaterally through 2 axillary ports. The operatory sucess was evaluated through the persistence or not of sweating of the palm and armpit. Also, all the complications associated were registered.

RESULTS:

The procedure was successful in 96% of the patients, who reached anhidrosis in the palms and armpits. The most common complication was compensatory sweating, minimal to mild in 28% of the patients aproximately, severe only in one case; intense post operatory pain in 3 cases and sympathyc reinervation in 2 cases. There was no Infection, Horner syndrome, inthercostal arthery injury or mortality reported.

CONCLUSION:

The billateral VTS is an effective and safe procedure to obtain anhidrosis in patients with upper extremity hyperhidrosys.