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Thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis
Author(s) -
Farnsworth A.,
Pories W.,
Mendelsohn H.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.111
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 0004-8682
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1976.tb03226.x
Subject(s) - thymectomy , medicine , myasthenia gravis , surgery , respiratory failure , anesthesia
A group of 71 patients with myasthenia gravis is reviewed. All were initially managed medically, and 18 underwent thymectomy. Twenty‐three responded poorly to drug treatment, and seven died from respiratory failure. In contrast, thymectomy was beneficial in 16 of the 18 who were subjected to operation. Seven patients had significant postoperative respiratory complications, and nine required a tracheostomy. Thymectomy appears to be effective and safe and to be indicated in young patients with early disease, and in patients who do not respond to drug treatment. The transcervical approach to thymectomy zvas satisfactory on two occasions.