Sweating too much? There’s a cure

Dr Fouad M. Azoury, chairman of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department at the American Hospital and American Board Certified, said the latest minimally invasive (keyhole) procedure — Endoscopic Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy (ETS) — was performed last week on a 28-year-old Canadian man who had been suffering from hyperhydrosis all his life.

“The tilting point which led to the patient’s search for the ultimate treatment came when the condition was becoming a barrier to his career progress,” said the doctor.

“I was looking for an effective medical treatment as meeting people, especially shaking hands, was becoming a problem,” said A.S. (the patient).

“My own online research led me to the procedure and the American Hospital in Dubai. It takes only two days to fix the problem, as I was discharged 24 hours after the operation with very little pain or discomfort. It will take a while to believe the problem has gone away but right now it’s at zero. I had been prescribed mild medications previously but without effect and this surgery is now the clear option,” he added.

Dr Azoury said, “Sweating is perfectly normal but it becomes a problem if the person is not able to perform normal functions like writing because of excessive perspiration.”

“The sympathectomy technique has been available for around 10 years and it evolved from open surgery with each side done separately which was time consuming and complex.

“Today, the Bilateral Minimally Invasive Surgery is straightforward for a well-trained surgeon and involves only two small incisions — one in each arm pit. The patient can return to normal life in quick time and, of course, with an immediate improvement in the condition.

“Awareness about the procedure must be spread in regions with a hot climate like the UAE.”

Dr Azoury said one per cent of the world’s population suffers from hyperhidrosis. “For a sufferer, the condition interferes with the quality of life and means that a simple act such as shaking hands can be actually acutely embarrassing. The symptoms can be brought on by stress, emotional disturbance or exercise but can also be spontaneous,” he explained.

The process of sweating is controlled by two nerves located on either side of the chest, just behind the ribs, called sympathetic nerves. “In ETS, the surgeon makes a small incision on each side of the chest to insert a camera (endoscope) to locate the nerves which are then cut. The single incision procedure is still rare in the UAE,” said Dr Azoury.