ETS for Hyperhidrosis
Over 200,000 Americans suffer from hyperhidrosis — excessive sweating of the palms, feet, face or underarms. Now, there is a minimally invasive surgical remedy available for this embarrassing condition.
Hyperhidrosis can occur almost anywhere on the body, but most commonly affects the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet or the underarms. For individuals with this condition, it generally appears early in life, and it can be extremely debilitating to those afflicted with it both socially and professionally.
It’s been long known that a procedure called sympathectomy can bring dramatic improvement. Sympathectomy involves neutralizing a portion of the sympathetic nerve chain running down the backbone, interrupting the nerve signal that prompts excessive sweating. But traditional surgery methods required a major incision in the chest or back, with associated risks.
A new minimally invasive procedure using fiber optic video assist and very small instruments allows the surgeon to perform this procedure using incisions of less than one inch each.
Thoracic surgeons at Phoebe can now provide surgical treatment for hyperhidrosis of the palms that has been shown to be successful in over 90 percent of patients, with similar improvement for patients suffering from excessive sweating of the feet and underarms.
The results are immediate and dramatic. Patients who have suffered from hyperhidrosis all their lives awake from the surgery with dry palms.