HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kumagai, K. Articles by Kawanishi, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kumagai, K. Articles by Kawanishi, M. Related Collections Mediastinum

Ann Thorac Surg 2005;80:461-466
© 2005 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

---

Original article: General thoracic

Health-Related Quality of Life After Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy for Palmar Hyperhidrosis

Department of Anesthesiology, Fujita Health University, School of Medicine, Banbuntane-Hotokukai Hospital, Nakagawa-ku Nagoya, Japan

Accepted for publication March 4, 2005.

^_* Address reprint requests to Dr Kumagai, Department of Anesthesiology, Fujita Health University, School of Medicine, Banbuntane-Hotokukai Hospital, 3-6-10 Otobashi, Nakagawa-ku Nagoya, 454-8509, Japan (Email: kojirokum{at}aol.com).

BACKGROUND: Palmar hyperhidrosis is a benign functional disorder regarded as a psychological and social handicap. Improvement of the quality of life is a major goal of treatment. However, little attention has been given to quality of life after thoracoscopic sympathectomy, which is the first line of treatment for palmar hyperhidrosis. This study investigated the impact of thoracoscopic sympathectomy on subjective health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological properties.

METHODS: Forty patients who underwent thoracoscopic sympathectomy were followed up for 6 months. The HRQoL measures were the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36), the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Patients were administered these questionnaires before procedure and then again at 1, 3, and 6 months after sympathectomy.

RESULTS: A comparison between the current sample and Japanese normative data for the SF-36 showed mild impairment of HRQoL before sympathectomy. However, it also showed significant improvement of the social functioning domain after sympathectomy. While there was worsening of the bodily pain and role physical domains 1 month after sympathectomy, both domains recovered in 3 months. The results of STAI showed significant improvement of both trait and state anxiety after sympathectomy. However, the results of SDS showed patients remained neurotic.

CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to show the pattern of impairment in health status and therapeutic impact in palmar hyperhidrosis patients. Hyperhidrosis is associated with impaired HRQoL. It was also demonstrated that thoracoscopic sympathectomy is safe, minimally invasive, and improves HRQoL, even if compensatory hyperhidrosis occurs.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Maga, J. Kuzdzal, R. Nizankowski, A. Szczeklik, and K. Sladek Long-term effects of thoracic sympathectomy on microcirculation in the hands of patients with primary Raynaud disease J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., June 1, 2007; 133(6): 1428 - 1433. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Rocco Endoscopic VATS sympathectomy: the uniportal technique MMCTS, May 7, 2007; 2007(0507): 323. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Ramos, J. Moya, R. Morera, C. Masuet, V. Perna, I. Macia, I. Escobar, and R. Villalonga An assessment of anxiety in patients with primary hyperhidrosis before and after endoscopic thoracic sympathicolysis. Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., August 1, 2006; 30(2): 228 - 231. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]