Retroperitoneoscopic Lumbar Sympathectomy with Balloon Dissection: Clinical Experience

PURPOSE: To describe our technique and clinical experience of retroperitoneoscopic lumbar sympathectomy with balloon dissection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1995 to 1999, 23 procedures were performed. RESULTS: No complications were noted. The median hospital stay was 4 days. Of the 23 attempts, 2 had to be converted to open technique. Histologic examination demonstrated interruption of the sympathetic chain in 22 of the 23 cases and absence of nervous tissue in 1. CONCLUSIONS: Once the technique is mastered, it can be performed fast, and it offers patients the benefits of a minimally invasive approach without the inconsistent therapeutic results of chemical sympathectomy.