[Assessment of thoracic sympathectomy by transpleural posterolateral and thoracoscopic approach in surgical treatment of Raynaud's syndrome].

Operative treatment of patients with Raynaud's Syndrome is rarely used, and is recommended by most authors only in the case of disthrophic changes or so advanced symptoms, which disturb normal social and daily life. Recently, thoracoscopic sympathectomy is applied more frequently. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of thoracoscopic sympathectomy by the presentation of early and long-term outcome of 43 thoracic and eight lumbar sympathectomies performed in 41 patients with Raynaud's Syndrome. Transpleural posterio-lateral thoracotomy was performed 29 times in 27 patients, whereas thoracoscopic sympatectomy 14 times in 8 patients. Surgical techniques, early and long-term results were discussed. Based on early and long-term outcome, there were no significant differences between applied surgical techniques. Moreover, thoracoscopic sympathectomy was safe in the aspect of a short duration as well as good therapeutic and cosmetic effect of the procedure. It should be applied instead of others, so far used methods, with the exception of patients with massive pleural adhesions, which need thoracotomy.