Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy

Common card · No. 493883

Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is a surgical procedure in which a portion of the sympathetic nerve trunk in the thoracic region is destroyed. ETS is used to treat conditions such as excessive sweating in certain parts of the body (focal hyperhidrosis), flushing of the face, Raynaud's disease, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy. The most common indication for ETS treatment is palmar hyperhidrosis (sweaty palms). Like any surgical procedure, it has risks. The endoscopic sympathetic block (ESB) procedure and other procedures which affect fewer nerves are considered to present lower risks. Sympathectomy physically destroys relevant nerves anywhere in either of the two sympathetic trunks, which are long chains of nerve ganglia located bilaterally along the vertebral column responsible for various important aspects of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Each nerve trunk is broadly divided into three regions: cervical (neck), thoracic (chest), and lumbar (lower back). The most common area...

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