Clinical outcome of video-assisted thymectomy for myasthenia gravis and thymoma

Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann. 2010 Jun;18(3):234-9. doi: 10.1177/0218492310369017.

Abstract

We reviewed our experience of video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy for myasthenia gravis and thymomas in 119 patients, aged 12-83 years, who were treated between 1998 and 2007. Disease severity was graded using the Osserman classification. To prevent rupture of the tumor capsule and tumor seeding, thymomas were resected using a modified no-touch technique. Thymoma diameters were 10-90 mm (mean, 50 mm). There were no operative deaths, 12 (10%) patients had complications, and 87 (73.1%) improved by 1 or more Osserman grades postoperatively. After follow-up of 1.9-10 years (mean, 4.9 years), 74 (62%) patients remained asymptomatic, with 21% in complete stable remission. Using multivariate regression analysis, there were no statistical differences in median pre- and postoperative Osserman grades with regards to age, sex, duration of symptoms, and presence of thymoma. Video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy for myasthenia gravis and selected thymomas can achieve long-term clinical outcomes comparable to those of standard approaches.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myasthenia Gravis / diagnosis
  • Myasthenia Gravis / surgery*
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Singapore
  • Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted* / adverse effects
  • Thymectomy / adverse effects
  • Thymectomy / methods*
  • Thymoma / diagnosis
  • Thymoma / surgery*
  • Thymus Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Thymus Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult