The Surgeon
Volume 8, Issue 5 , Pages 287-292 , October 2010

Hyperhidrosis: Evolving concepts and a comprehensive review

  • Tobias Vorkamp

      Affiliations

    • Department of Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, University of Goettingen, Germany
  • ,
  • Fung Joon Foo

      Affiliations

    • Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Lancaster Infirmary, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, Ashton Road, Lancaster LA1 4RP, United Kingdom
  • ,
  • Sidra Khan

      Affiliations

    • Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Lancaster Infirmary, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, Ashton Road, Lancaster LA1 4RP, United Kingdom
  • ,
  • Jan D. Schmitto

      Affiliations

    • Department of Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, University of Goettingen, Germany
  • ,
  • Paul Wilson

      Affiliations

    • Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Lancaster Infirmary, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, Ashton Road, Lancaster LA1 4RP, United Kingdom
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +44 1524 583299; fax: +44 1524 583194.

Received 6 January 2010 ,Revised 28 May 2010 ,Accepted 1 June 2010.

References 

  1. Renbourn ET. The history of sweat and the sweat rash from earliest times to the end of the 18th century. J Hist Med Allied Sci. 1959;14:202–227
  2. Christopoulos KA. New treatments turn off the tap for people who sweat too much. [late edition] New York Times. April 20, 2004;sect F:5
  3. Bergkvist L, Engevik L. The surgical treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis. Br J Surg. 1979;66:482–484
  4. Hölzle E. Therapie der hyperhidrosis. Hautarzt. 1984;35:7–15
  5. Sabatier H, Picaud AJ. The surgical treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis. J Dermatol Surg. 1976;2:331–332
  6. Khurana R. Acral sympathetic dysfunction and hyperhidrosis. In:  Low PA editors. Clinical autonomic disorders. 2nd ed.. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott-Raven; 1997;p. 809–818
  7. Hamm H, Naumann MK, Kowalski JW, Kutt S, Kozma C, Teale C. Primary focal hyperhidrosis: disease characteristics and functional impairment. Dermatology. 2006;212:343–353
  8. Quraishy MS, Giddings AEB. Treating hyperhidrosis: endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy may be the best treatment. Br Med J. 1993;1221–1222
  9. Strutton DR, Kowalski JW, Glaser DA, Stang PE. US prevalence of hyperhidrosis and impact on individuals with axillary hyperhidrosis: results from a national survey. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004;51:241–248
  10. Iwase S, Ikeda T, Kitazawa H, Hakusui S, Sugenoya J, Mano T. Altered response in cutaneous sympathetic outflow to mental and thermal stimuli in primary palmoplantar hyperhidrosis. J Auton Nerv Syst. 1997;64:65–73
  11. Vetrugno R, Liguori R, Cortelli P, Montagna P. Sympathetic skin response: basic mechanisms and clinical applications. Clin Auton Res. 2003;13:256–270
  12. Ro KM, Cantor RM, Lange KL, Ahn SS. Palmar hyperhidrosis: evidence of genetic transmission. J Vasc Surg. 2002;35:382–386
  13. Finlay AY. Quality of life measurement in dermatology: a practical guide. Br J Dermatol. 1997;136:305–314
  14. Naumann MK, Hamm H, Lowe NJ (on behalf of the BOTOX Hyperhidrosis Clinical Study Group). Effect of botulinum toxin type A on quality of life measures in patients with excessive axillary sweating: a randomized controlled trial. Br J Dermatol. 2002;147:1218–1226
  15. Minor V. Ein neues Verfahren zu der klinischen Untersuchung der Schweissabsonderung. Deutche Zeitung Fürr Nervenheilkunde. 1928;101:302–308
  16. Heckmann M, Ceballos-Baumann AO, Plewig G. Botulinum toxin A for axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). N Engl J Med. 2001;344:488–493
  17. Heckmann M, Plewig G. Low-dose efficacy of botulinum toxin A for axillary hyperhidrosis: a randomized, side-by-side, open label study. Arch Dermatol. 2005;141:1255–1259
  18. Hoelzle E, Braun-Falco O. Structural changes in axillary eccrine glands following long-term treatment with aluminium chloride hexahydrate solution. Br J Dermatol. 1984;110:399–403
  19. Togel B, Geve B, Raulin C. Current therapeutic strategies for hyperhidrosis: a review. Eu J Dermatol. May–June 2002;12(3):219–223
  20. Raulin C, Petzoldt D. Behandlung der Hyperhidrosis. Dtsch Med Wschr. 1988;113:1860
  21. Scholes KT, Crow KD, Ellis JP, Harman RR, Saihan EM. Axillary hyperhidrosis treated with alcoholic solution of aluminium chloride hexahydrate. Br Med J. 1978;2:84–85
  22. Bouman HD, Lentzer EM. The treatment of hyperhidrosis of hands and feet with constant current. Am J Phys Med. 1952;31:158–169
  23. Holzle E, Reinauer S, Hund M, Lommel K. Empfehlungen zur Leitungswasser-Iontophorese. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2004;2:956–962
  24. Collin J, Whatling P. Treating hyperhidrosis. Surgery and botulinum toxin are treatments of choice in severe cases. BMJ. 2000;320:1221–1222
  25. Karakoc Y, Aydemir EH, Kalkan MT, Unal G. Safe control of palmoplantar hyperhidrosis with direct electrical current. Int J Dermatol. 2002;41:602–605
  26. Sato K. Hyperhidrosis. JAMA. 1991;265:651
  27. Scott AB. Clostridial toxins as therapeutic agents. In:  Simpson LL editors. Botulinum neurotoxin and tetanus toxin. San Diego, CA: Academic Press; 1989;p. 399–412
  28. Bhidayasiri R, Truong DD. Evidence for effectiveness of botulinum toxin for hyperhidrosis. J Neural Transm. 2008;115:641–645
  29. Baumann L, Frankel S, Welsh E, Halem M. Cryoanalgesia with dichlorotetrafluoroethane lessens the pain of botulinum toxin injections for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis. Dermatol Surg. 2003;29:1057–1059
  30. Brin MF. Botulinum toxin: chemistry, pharmacology, toxicity and immunology. Muscle Nerve Suppl. 1997;6:146–168
  31. Lowe NJ, Glaser DA, Eadie N, Daggett S, Kowalski JW, Lai PY. Botulinum toxin type A in the treatment of primary axillary hyperhidrosis: a 52-week multicenter double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of efficacy and safety. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2007;56:604–611
  32. Naumann MK, Hamm H, Lowe NJ. Effect of botulinum toxin type A on quality of life measures in patients with excessive axillary sweating: a randomized controlled trial. BMJ. 2002;147:1218–1226
  33. Naumann M, Lowe NJ, Kumar CR, Hamm H. Botulinum toxin type A is a safe and effective treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis over 16 months: a prospective study. Arch Dermatol. 2003;139:731–736
  34. Hasche E, Hagedorn M, Sattler G. Die subkutane Schweißdrüsensaugkürettage in Tumeszenzlokalanästhesie bei Hyperhidrosis axillaris. Hautarzt. 1997;48:817–819
  35. Rowland Payne CME, Doe PT. Liposuction for axillary hyperhidrosis. Clin Exp Dermatol. 1998;23:9–10
  36. Swinehart JM. Treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis: combination of the starch–iodine test with the tumescent liposuction technique. Dermatol Surg. 2000;26:392–396
  37. Proebstle TM, Schneiders V, Knop J. Gravimetrically controlled efficacy of subcorial curettage: a prospective study for treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis. Dermatol Surg. 2002;28:1022–1026
  38. Rompel R, Scholz S. Subcutaneous curettage vs. injection of botulinum toxin A for treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2001;15:207–211
  39. Young-Jin P; Myoung-Soo S. What is the best treatment osmidrosis? September 2001; vol. 47, 303–309
  40. Drott C, Gothberg G, Claes G. Endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy: an efficient and safe method for the treatment of hyperhidrosis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1995;33:78–81
  41. Torng-Sen Lin, Shou-Jen Kuo, Ming-Chih Chou. Uniportal endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for treatment of palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis: analysis of 2000 cases. Neurosurgery. 2002;51(Suppl. 2):84–87
  42. Herbst F, Plas EG, Függer R, Fritsch A. Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for primary hyperhidrosis of the upper limbs: a critical analysis and longterm results of 480 operations. Ann Surg. 1994;220:86–90
  43. Chaudhuri N, Birdi I, Ritchie AJ. Current practice in thoracic sympathectomy. Hosp Med. 1999;60:807
  44. Rafael Reisfeld, Raymond Nguyen, Alon Pnini. Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis experience with both cauterization and clamping methods. Surg Laparosc Endosc Percutaneous Tech. 2002;12(4):255–267
  45. Johannes Schmidt, Falk Georges Bechara, Peter Altmeyer, Hubert Zirngibl. Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for severe hyperhidrosis: impact of restrictive denervation on compensatory sweating. Ann Thorac Surg. 2006;81:1048–1055
  46. Chung-Ping Hsu, Sen-Ei Shia, Jiun-Yi Hsia, Cheng-Yen Chuang, Chih-Yi Chen. Experiences in thoracoscopic sympathectomy for axillary hyperhidrosis and osmidrosis – focusing on the extent of sympathectomy. Arch Surg. 2001;136:1115–1117
  47. Dominique Gossot, Domenico Galetta, Antoine Pascal, et al. Long-term results of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for upper limb hyperhidrosis. Ann Thorac Surg. 2003;75:1075–1079
  48. Rafael Reisfeld. Sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis: should we place the clamps at T2–T3 or T3–T4?. Clin Auton Res. 2006;16:384–389
  49. Cameron AE. Complications of endoscopic sympathectomy. Eur J Surg. 1998;164:33–35
  50. Gossot D, Kabiri H, Caliandro R, Debrosse D, Girard P, Grunenwald D. Early complications of thoracic endoscopic sympathectomy; a prospective study of 940 procedures. Ann Thorac Surg. 2001;71:1116–1119
  51. Ueyama T, Matsumoto Y, Abe T, Yuge O, Iwai T. Endoscopic thoracic sympathicotomy in Japan. Ann Chir Gynaeco. 2001;90:200–202
  52. Lin CC, Mo LR, Lee SM, Ng SM, Hwang MH. Thoracoscopic T2-sympathectomy block by clipping: a better and reversible operation for treatment of hyperhidrosis palmaris. Experience in 326 cases. Eur J Surg. 1998;164:13–16
  53. Byrne J, Walsh TN, Hederman WP. Endoscopic transthoracic electrocautery of the sympathetic chain for palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis. Br J Surg. 1990;77:1046–1049
  54. Shachor D, Jedeikin R, Olsfanger D, Bendethan J, Sivak G, Freund U. Endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy in the treatment of primary hyperhidrosis. Arch Surg. 1994;129:241–244
  55. Lin TS, Fang HY. Transthoracic endoscopic sympathectomy in the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis – with emphasis on perioperative management(1360 case analyses). Surg Neurol. 1999;52:453–457
  56. Zacherl J, Imhof M, Huber E, et al. Video assistance reduces complication rate of thoracoscopic sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis. Ann Thorac Surg. 1999;68:1177–1181
  57. Cameron AE. Specific complications and mortality of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. Clin Auton Res. 2003;13(Suppl. 1):I/31–I/35
  58. Lin TS. Endoscopic sympathectomy for palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis in children and adolescents. Paed Surg Int Transthoracic. 1999;15:475–478
  59. Zacherl J, Huber ER, Imhof M, Plas EG, Herbst F, Fugger R. Long-term results of 630 thoracoscopic sympathicotomies for primary hyperhidrosis; the Vienna experience. Eur J Surg. 1998;164(Suppl. 580):43–46
  60. Telaranta T. Reversal surgery for reducing the side-effects of ETS. A Case Report.Ann Chir Gynaecol. 2001;90:175–176
  61. Kopelman D, Hashmonai M, Ehrenreich M, Assalia A. Thoracoscopic sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis: is there a learning curve?. Surg Laparosc Endosc. 1998;8:370–375
  62. Hurley HJ. Diseases of the eccrine sweat glands. Dermatology. Spain: Mosby; 2001;[Chapter 41]
  63. A comprehensive approach to the recognition, diagnosis, and severity-based treatment of focal hyperhidrosis: recommendations of the Canadian Hyperhidrosis Advisory Committee. Dermatol Surg. August 2007;908–923

PII: S1479-666X(10)00158-7

doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2010.06.002

The Surgeon
Volume 8, Issue 5 , Pages 287-292 , October 2010