Dr. John Hramiec

Board Certified in Surgery
Board Certified in Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery

Assistant Professor of Surgery
Wayne State University School of Medicine

Voted "Top Docs", Hour Magazine
Awarded "Americas Top Surgeons"
Consumer Research Council of America

University of Michigan, A. B.
Wayne State University, M.D.
Medical College of Wisconsin, Residencies

EXPERIENCED
Minimal Invasive Surgery

Innovator of Minimal Invasive Outpatient Techniques
Fast Track Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery.
American Surgeon 2002;68(3):309-311

Current Research Presented in the Prestigious
Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 1997
American College of Surgeons, Surgical Forum, 1999
New England Journal of Medicine, 2004

ACCOMPLISHED
Minimal Invasive Surgery

  

Surgery May Relieve Sweat Problems

POSTED: 4:54 pm EDT September 13, 2005
Local 4 Good Health

It's been a hot, sweaty summer for all of us, but for some people, sweat isn't just a problem when the temperature hits 90 degrees, Local 4 reported.

Laura Schmehl, 25, of Novi, is no stranger to sweaty palms.

"I went through three cell phones because they got so wet," Schmehl said.

What Schmehl has is a condition called primary hyperhidrosis. It causes excessive sweating on the palms, underarms, feet or face, the station reported.

"It gives you a lot of anxiety when you meet people because you shake their hand and they're going to think, 'Oh, this person is nervous or very uncomfortable,' because your hands are sweating," said Schmehl.

Schmehl had Botox injections, which worked, but the results only lasted one month, the station reported. She decided to try a more drastic solution.

Providence Hospital thoracic surgeon John Hramiec is one of the few doctors in Michigan who offers patients a permanent solution to excess sweating.

"The patients that I see are young, anywhere from middle school to 40s," Hramiec said.

Hramiec said it's easy to underestimate the impact this condition has on patients' lives.

"It's hard to use a keyboard, it's hard to hold a pen, important documents get wet," he said. "They stop going to church because they have to hold hands in church, and they don't want to do that."

But there are new treatments available, including surgery, the station reported.

Using a minimally invasive technique, Hramiec inserts a video scope and surgical instruments through a small incision under the arm. Doctors then carefully locate the nerves that tell the sweat glands when to sweat and clip off the appropriate nerve using small titanium clips.

The surgery takes about 45 minutes and patients go home that same day.

"It's amazing. I have to use hand lotion now, which is just so foreign to me because I've never used it before," said Schmehl.

The surgery is covered by most insurance plans. Doctors say it works best for patients with excessive sweating on their hands.

Click here to view the Channel 4 Interview Video