Sribnick and Boulis from
Emory University School of Medicine reported a case of Harlequin
syndrome who has been treated by costotransversectomy and sympathectomy.
Harlequin syndrome is a rare neurological syndrome including unilateral
hyperhidrosis and erythema of the head and neck. The authors reports a
42-year-old female with a history of mastectomy for right-sided breast
cancer subsequently had a left partial pneumonectomy for a metastasis.
Postoperatively, she had onset of contralateral neck and facial
flushing and sweating.
The surgical intervention consisted of a partial right T3
costotransversectomy with T2 sympathectomy. The authors reports that
the patient's symptoms of Harlequin syndrome resolved postoperatively.
The authors stated that "the diagnosis of Harlequin syndrome is
relatively new, and the majority of the scientific literature is
concerned with descriptive case presentations. We present a surgical
technique for the treatment of Harlequin syndrome".
Source article: Sribnick
EA, Boulis NM. Treatment of Harlequin syndrome by costotransversectomy
and sympathectomy: case report. Neurosurgery. 2011 Jul;69(1):E257-9.
