Surgical difficulties and complications of video-assisted thoracoscopic for thoracic sympathectomy

Abstract

This chapter discusses the most common technical difficulties during the surgical procedure of sympathectomy, as well as the most frequent surgical complications, based on the literature and experience of the group with more than 2000 operated cases. The most frequent and most compromising technical difficulty is the presence of pleural adhesions. The most frequent immediate complication is the air fistula, and the most frequent late complication is compensatory sweating.