Sim E K, Goh J J, Durani A, Ong B K
Cardiac Department, National University Hospital, Singapore.
Ann Acad Med Singap. 1998 Jul;27(4):570-2.
Total thymectomy combined with medical therapy is currently the most effective therapeutic strategy for patients with myasthenia gravis. The standard approach for total thymectomy is that of a median sternotomy. Other approaches include the cervical approach and partial sternotomy. We report a patient who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy at our institution. There was no postoperative complications and the patient was discharged on the fifth postoperative day. Video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy has proved to be an effective surgical therapy for the treatment of myasthenia gravis. The long-term outcome awaits close follow-up of the patients operated using this technique.
