Primary Plantar Hyperhidrosis (PPH)

Primary plantar hyperhidrosis (PPH) is characterized by excessive sweating of the feet. The etiology of the disease is not fully understood yet, but stimulation of the sympathetic nerve seems to activate sweating from the eccrine sweat gland.

Retroperitoneoscopic Lumbar Sympathectomy (RLS)

Retroperitoneoscopic lumbar sympathectomy (RLS) can be a safe and effective surgical treatment for severe Primary plantar hyperhidrosis (PPH), according to a study published in BMC Surgery.

Characteristics and Impact of PPH

Primary plantar hyperhidrosis (PPH) is an idiopathic disease, characterized by excessive sweating of the feet. It leads to significant disturbance in private and professional daily lifestyle, due to excessive sweating. The aim of this study is to present the safety, efficacy, and procedures of retroperitoneoscopic lumbar sympathectomy (RLS) for the treatment of PPH.

Study Details

RLS was performed 60 times in 30 patients (18 men, 12 women) with PPH in our institution from May 2019 to October 2020. All procedures were carried out by laparoscopy with a retroperitoneal approach. Clinical data including patient demographics and perioperative, postoperative outcomes were evaluated. Recurrence of symptoms and any adverse effects of surgery were evaluated after 7 to 30 days in the outpatient clinic, and thereafter every 6 months.

Results

• The mean age of patients was 33.6 (± standard deviation 10.8) years.
• Fourteen and fifteen patients were previously treated with medical therapy or endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) respectively.
• The mean preoperative quality of life (QoL) score of patients was 91.8 (VERY BAD), but the postoperative 12 months (QoL) score decreased to 29.1 (MUCH BETTER).
• There was no serious postoperative complication.
• During the mean 22 months of the follow-up period, no compensatory sweating was observed.

Conclusion

Thus, the researchers concluded that RLS can be a safe and effective surgical treatment for severe PPH, especially for patients with persistent plantar sweating even after conservative management and ETS. RLS also could be offered to surgeons who are familiar with retroperitoneal space anatomy as a feasible surgical treatment for PPH.

Reference

A study named, Retroperitoneoscopic lumbar sympathectomy for the treatment of primary plantar hyperhidrosis by Kyung Jae Hur et al published in BMC Surgery.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12893-021-01393-y