Sympathectomy for Intractable Pain

Sympathectomy is a surgical procedure used to treat a variety of medical conditions. Although these health problems should be addressed by more conservative methods first, a sympathectomy often proves to be the most effective treatment.

Results

• During a sympathectomy, the sympathetic nerves are destroyed for the purpose of increasing blood flow and minimizing pain associated with constricted blood vessels.

Description

• A sympathectomy is a minimally invasive procedure during which the surgeon makes a small incision and inserts a fiber optic tube, which allows the nerves to be displayed on a screen. The surgeon uses lasers and tiny scissors to detach the ganglia.

Alternative Procedure

• Doctors can also perform a similar, less-invasive procedure by destroying the ganglia through electrodes attached to the skin.

Effectiveness

• Depending on the purpose of the surgery, sympathectomies are between 75 percent 90 percent effective for the treatment of pain. Patients are usually able to resume normal activities in a few days.

Insurance Coverage

• Most of the time, insurance companies will cover these operations if they are deemed medically necessary.