[Experience in treatment of Raynaud's syndrome by chemical sympathectomy: 97 cases].

Objective:To summarize the curative effect in treatment of Raynaud's syndrome with chemical thoracic sympathectomy(CTS) guided by X-ray since 2001.Methods: From March 2001 to August 2007,97 patients with Raynaud's syndrome(186 limbs) were treated by CTS.Guided by X-ray,a needle was punctured through the back skin to the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion beside the thoracic vertebrae and 2 mL of 5%(v/v) phenol was injected.Results: The first CTS treatment produced a good effect on 146 limbs with an effective rate of 78.5%(146/186).The same treatment was performed on the limbs with no effect 1-2 days after the first treatment and produced good effect on 13 limbs with an effective rate of 32.5%(13/40).The total effective rate of the patients who were hospitalized for the first time was 85.5%(159/186).Of the 97 patients,78 patients(80.4%) were followed up for 47 months on an average with an effective rate of 69.5%.And the rate of complications was 11.4% for pheumothorax,and 3.9% for hydrothorax.Hyperalgesia on axillary region and anterior chest wall;Horner syndrome and sinus bradycardia were rare.Conclusion: CTS is minimally invasive and effective in treatment of Raynaud's syndrome.