Long-term effects of thoracic sympathectomy on microcirculation in the hands of patients with primary Raynaud disease

The basal blood flow and the postocclusive hyperemia test. A, Typical curve in a healthy individual. Note the short maximal refilling time after the 1-minute occlusion. B, Characteristic curve in a patient with Raynaud disease (RD). The maximal refilling time after the 1-minute occlusion is relatively long. C, A patient with RD 5 years after sympathectomy. The maximal refilling time after the 1-minute occlusion is maintained at the normal level. PU, Periflux unit; Bf, basal flow; ↑, occlusion; M, maximal refilling time.

A, Basal capillary flow in 25 patients with Raynaud disease (RD). The follow-up values are significantly higher than the preoperative values and are higher or not significantly different than those in the healthy control group. B, The maximal refilling time after 1-minute occlusion in 25 patients with RD. The follow-up values are significantly lower than the preoperative values and not significantly different than those in the healthy control group.

The visual analog scale (VAS) score of Raynaud disease (RD) symptoms and symptoms of hyperhidrosis. The RD symptoms, being almost totally abolished directly after the sympathectomy, increase slightly over time, reaching 28% of their initial severity after 5 years of follow-up. The increase of hyperhidrosis symptoms is less noticeable.