Contributed by Dr. Aashish Shah, Lead Consultant, Minimal access and GI Surgery, Aster RV hospital

Mr. Tarun (name changed), a 22-year-old kickboxing and Gym Instructor by profession, suffered from excessive sweating affecting his palm, armpits, groins and soles of the feet. So severe and extreme was his sweating that it had begun to severely impact his personal and professional life. Such was his affliction that even the most basic of interactions with people, like shaking hands to greet, used to be a daunting task due to his sweaty palms. He had started to shy away from interactions and was becoming progressively introverted. It was only after reading a blog written by a patient who underwent successful treatment, that Tarun decided to consult at Aster RV Hospital.

Tarun was suffering from a condition called Primary Hyperhidrosis, a condition that is often misunderstood and underplayed but that can have far reaching negative consequences. This condition is generally noticed in the youth and thus tends to have a greater negative impact on quality of life. Most treatments available for this condition provide only incomplete and temporary relief from the sweating. Currently, the only treatment that offers a long-term lasting solution to the excessive sweating is a Surgical procedure called Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS).

Dr. Aashish Shah, Lead Consultant, Minimal access and GI Surgery, Aster RV hospital, who treated Tarun said, “Primary Hyperhidrosis is a condition of unknown aetiology that affects patients in the prime of their life, and in the more severe cases the sweat literally drips off their palms and soles, severely impairing basic daily activities and interactions. Most patients complain of smudging the paper while writing and wetting their laptop / mobile keypads. “After the appropriate pre-operative tests, Tarun underwent an Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS), at Aster RV Hospital. Dr Shah, who performed the Surgery explains, “ETS is a Minimal access surgical procedure wherein the neural pathway that controls the sweat glands of the palms and armpits is interrupted. The procedure gives instantaneous and long-lasting relief from the excessive sweating.”

Tarun awoke from the anesthesia to dry palms, a new found confidence and is now looking forward to living life to the fullest.