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| Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is a surgical
procedure where certain portions of the sympathetic nerve trunk
are destroyed. ETS is used to treat hyperhidrosis, facial
blushing, Raynaud's disease and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. By
far the most common complaint treated with ETS is palmar
hyperhidrosis, or "sweaty palms". In this disorder, the palms
may constantly shed so much sweat that the affected person is
unable to handle paper, sign documents, keep clothes dry, or
shake hands. The result is often social phobia so severe as to
be disabling. ETS surgery works by dissection nerve tissue in
the upper thoracic region of the sympathetic nervous system,
thus interrupting neural messages that ordinarily would travel
to many different organs, glands and muscles. It is via these
nerves of the autonomic nervous system that the brain is able to
make adjustments in the body in respons