Radical treatment of axillary osmidrosis by subdermal excision of apocrine glands: a prospective study in 31 cases

SummaryAxillary osmidrosis is a troublesome and distressing problem. Medical treatment is only temporally effective. From March 2003 to November 2004, 36 patients with axillary osmidrosis (nine cases combined with axillary hyperhidrosis) have been treated by excision of the subcutaneous glands via a small transverse incision, of which 31 cases could be followed up for a minimum of 3 months (average 7.3 months). In terms of malodour elimination, 30 cases had good results, one had fair result, and none had a poor result. All patients reported significant reducing of sweating, especially those with hyperhidrosis. Postoperative complications were minor, including small haematoma (one axillae), small seroma (two axillae), and superficial epidermal necrosis (21 axillae) which were all spontaneously healed within a week. Twenty-nine (93.5%) patients were very satisfied with the procedure and two (6.5%) patients satisfied, with none regretful. The operation has the advantage of a high success rate in radical elimination of the malodour with minor complications.