Thoracoscopic dorsal sympathectomy for upper limb buerger's disease

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Thromboangiitis obliterans is a common peripheral vascular disease in India. This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of thoracoscopic dorsal sympathectomy as a treatment for Buerger disease of the upper extremities. Methods: Thirty thoracoscopic dorsal sympathectomies (17 left-and 13 right-sided) were performed in a tertiary medical center in 5 women and 20 men (mean age, 41 years) between July 2010 and February 2013. Results: The mean operative time was 30 minutes, and the mean hospital stay was 52 hours. There were no complications. All patients had improvement in pain and were relapse-free after a mean follow-up period of 11.63 months. Discussion: Thoracoscopic dorsal sympathectomy reduces pain significantly by reducing peripheral resistance and promoting collateral development. The increased magnification of the thoracoscopic approach permits better visualization, ensuring complete excision and therefore good results. Thoracoscopic dorsal sympathectomy for Buerger disease of the upper limb is a safe and effective treatment.