OBJECTIVE: Videothoracoscopic sympathecomy is a widely used treatment modality in patients with severe Raynaud disease, but the reported late results are less than favorable. There have been no direct studies of the long-term effect of sympathectomy on microcirculation in the hands of these patients. METHODS: In 25 patients with Raynaud disease treated with videothoracoscopic Th2-Th4 sympathectomy, we performed basal laser-Doppler flowmetry and measured the maximal refilling time after 1-minute occlusion measurements preoperatively and at 1 week, 6 months, and 1, 2, 3, and 5 years after the sympathectomy. The results were compared with the same measurements obtained in the group of 50 healthy individuals. RESULTS: The patients' symptom severity was assessed by using the visual analogue scale. The basal capillary flow and the maximal refilling time improved after the sympathectomy to a level not different from that seen in the healthy population, and the effect was maintained during the 5-year follow-up period. The patients' symptom severity scores diminished to zero in the early postoperative period and increased to 28% of their initial value 5 years after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: The videothoracoscopic Th2-Th4 sympathectomy produces excellent and long-lasting improvement of microcirculation function in patients with Raynaud disease. The mild return of symptoms might be due to factors other than the capillary blood flow alterations.
OBJECTIVE: Videothoracoscopic sympathecomy is a widely used treatment modality in patients with severe Raynaud disease, but the reported late results are less than favorable. There have been no direct studies of the long-term effect of sympathectomy on microcirculation in the hands of these patients. METHODS: In 25 patients with Raynaud disease treated with videothoracoscopic Th2-Th4 sympathectomy, we performed basal laser-Doppler flowmetry and measured the maximal refilling time after 1-minute occlusion measurements preoperatively and at 1 week, 6 months, and 1, 2, 3, and 5 years after the sympathectomy. The results were compared with the same measurements obtained in the group of 50 healthy individuals. RESULTS: The patients' symptom severity was assessed by using the visual analogue scale. The basal capillary flow and the maximal refilling time improved after the sympathectomy to a level not different from that seen in the healthy population, and the effect was maintained during the 5-year follow-up period. The patients' symptom severity scores diminished to zero in the early postoperative period and increased to 28% of their initial value 5 years after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: The videothoracoscopic Th2-Th4 sympathectomy produces excellent and long-lasting improvement of microcirculation function in patients with Raynaud disease. The mild return of symptoms might be due to factors other than the capillary blood flow alterations.