ObjectiveTo explore the safety, feasibility and superiority of tubeless video-assisted thoracoscopy in the treatment of primary palmar hyperhidrosis (PPH).MethodsThe clinical data of 46 patients with palmar hyperhidrosis treated by thoracoscopy in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from March 2017 to September 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 22 received tubeless video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, and were divided into a tubeless group, including 10 males and 12 females with an average age of 24.3±6.4 years; 24 received conventional thoracoscopic surgery, and were divided into a control group, including 13 males and 11 females with an average age of 23.5±4.8 years. The operation status, anesthesia effect and postoperative complications of the two groups were compared.ResultsForty-six patients successfully completed the operation with the assistance of thoracoscopy. There was no intraoperative transfer to thoracotomy, or intraoperative transfer to tracheal intubation in the tubeless group. Anesthetic recovery time (14.4±1.6 min vs. 20.1±1.8 min, P=0.000), time to get out of bed on the first postoperative day (3.1±0.6 h vs. 1.6±0.4 h, P=0.000), visual analogue score for postoperative pain (1.4±0.6 points vs. 3.4±1.1 points, P=0.000), postoperative hospital stay (1.7±0.5 d vs. 2.8±0.6 d, P=0.000), postoperative satisfaction rate of patients (95.5% vs. 66.7%, P=0.037) in the tubeless group were shorter or better than those in the control group. There was no statistical difference in age, gender, smoking history, palmar hyperhidrosis classification, palms or other associated parts, the total time of bilateral surgery, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, or compensatory hyperhidrosis (mild) between the two groups (P>0.05).ConclusionCompared with traditional thoracoscopic surgery for PPH, tubeless video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for PPH has the advantages of safety, reliability, light pain and quick recovery, in line with the concept of accelerated rehabilitation surgery.