The amount of compensatory sweating depends on the patient, the damage that the white rami communicans incurs, and the amount of cell body reorganization in the spinal cord after surgery.
Other potential complications include inadequate resection of the ganglia, gustatory sweating, pneumothorax, cardiac dysfunction, post-operative pain, and finally Horner’s syndrome secondary to resection of the stellate ganglion.
www.ubcmj.com/pdf/ubcmj_2_1_2010_24-29.pdf

After severing the cervical sympathetic trunk, the cells of the cervical sympathetic ganglion undergo transneuronic degeneration
After severing the sympathetic trunk, the cells of its origin undergo complete disintegration within a year.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0442.1967.tb00255.x/abstract

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Behavioral changes after sympathectomy

Six experiments are reported on the effects of 2,4,5-trihydroxyphenylethyl-amine (6-hydroxydopamine) on two-way escape and avoidance learning. Rats were tested on either escape or avoidance learning at 80 days of age after chemical sympathectomy at birth or 40 or 80 days of age. Neonatal and chronic sympathectomy (at 40 days), but not acute sympathectomy (at 80 days), resulted in depressed escape learning. Avoidance learning was affected by neonatal sympathectomy and partially by acute sympathectomy. The results have implications for the role of the autonomic nervous system in escape-avoidance learning.
J Comp Physiol Psychol 1976; 90:303-16.

Glycogen accumulation in Reissner's membrane following chemical sympathectomy

Acta Otolaryngol. 1978 Nov-Dec;86(5-6):314-30.
PMID: 213930 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Role of the ANS in cerebral circulation

It is proposed that the autonomic innervation of brain vessels participates in the control not only of the cerebral circulation but also of associated intracranial pressure phenomena.
Blood Vessels 1974;11:2-31

Sympathectomy alters cranial nerves and cerebral blood flow

Moya-Moya Syndrome

Moya Moya syndrome is a vasculopathy of the cranial arteries, usually the carotids, leading to progressive intracranial occlusion with distal collateral vessels. This is a very frequent cause of pediatric stroke in India(10,11). Children usually present with an acute focal deficit such as hemiplegia, whereas in later years sub-arachnoid hemorrhage is a common presenta-tion. Due to bilateral carotid involvement sometimes alternating hemiplegia is seen. The outcome varies widely without treatment. Moya Moya disease is usually idiopathic, although same radiographic pattern is seen in some patients with sickle cell disease, neuro-fibromatosis, postcranial irradiation and in various other conditions(15). There is no proven treatment of Moya Moya disease. Medical management involves use of aspirin but needs further testing. Surgical treatment involves cervical sympathectomy, intracranial graft of omentum or temporalis muscle and bypass of superficial temporal artery to the middle cerebral artery(34).

http://indianpediatrics.net/feb2000/personal.htm

sympathectomy greatly reduces ventilation

In conscious animals, cervical sympathectomy greatly reduces ventilation in normoxia and slightly affects ventilatory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia, also suggesting an important role for these nerves in the control of breathing.
Eur Respir J 1998; 12: 177–184

reduces the amount of adrenaline

Cervical sympathectomy
A form of surgery that is useful for some people with LQTS. It reduces the
amount of adrenaline and its by-products produced and delivered to the heart by certain nerves (the left cervical ganglia). It involves operating on the left neck and removing or blocking these nerves

http://www.sads.org.uk/technical_terms.htm

sympathectomy totally ablates regional spinal cord blood flow

We conclude that adrenalectomy near-totally ablates the hypothermia-associated increase in RSCBF measured in intact rats and that abdominal sympathectomy totally ablates it. This evidence complements morphological evidence for adrenergic innervation of the spinal cord vasculature.

http://ajpheart.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/260/3/H827


Transverse myelitis

Transverse myelitis is a neurological disorder caused by an inflammatory process of the grey and white matter of the spinal cord, and can cause axonal demyelination.
In some cases, the disease is presumed to be caused by viral infections or vaccinations and has also been associated with spinal cord injuries, immune reactions, schistosomiasis and insufficient blood flow through spinal cord vessels. Acute myelitis accounts for 4 to 5 percent of all cases of neuroborreliosis.[1] Symptoms include weakness and numbness of the limbs as well as motor, sensory, and sphincter deficits. Severe backpain may occur in some patients at the onset of the disease.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transverse_myelitis