For a full story on sympathectomy and consequences, look up nerve injury or denervation

"I think the surgeons may not be aware of the long term consequences of denervation" Ahmet Hoke M.D., Ph.D. FRCPC

Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience, Director, Neuromuscular Division Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Department of Neurology


Saturday 27 December 2014

sympathectomy leads to fluctuation of vasoconstriction alternated with vasodilation in an unstable fashion. Following sympathectomy the involved extremity shows regional hyper - and hypothermia

"To quote Nashold, referring to sympathectomy, "Ill- advised surgery may tend to magnify the entire symptom complex"(38). Sympathectomy is aimed at achieving vasodilation. The neurovascular instability (vacillation and instability of vasoconstrictive function), leads to fluctuation of vasoconstriction alternated with vasodilation in an unstable fashion (39). Following sympathectomy the involved extremity shows regional hyper - and hypothermia in contrast, the blood flow and skin temperature on the non- sympathectomized side are significantly lower after exposure to a cold environment (39). This phenomenon may explain the reason for spread of CRPS. In the first four weeks after sympathectomy, the Laser Doppler flow study shows an increased of blood flow and hyperthermia in the extremity (40). Then, after four weeks, the skin temperature and vascular perfusion slowly decrease and a high amplitude vasomotor constriction develops reversing any beneficial effect of surgery (39). According to Bonica , "about a dozen patients with reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) in whom I have carried out preoperative diagnostic sympathetic block with complete pain relief, sympathectomy produced either partial or no relief (40)"

Chronic Pain

 Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy : Prevention and Management
Front Cover
CRC PressINC, 1993 - Medical - 202 pages

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