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.