| Objective: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an auto-immune disease affecting neuromuscular joints. Approximately 3/4 of the patients are also accompanied by abnormal change with the thymus. Thymectomy is a very effective treatment of myasthenia gravis, and VATS thymectomy has become a major methods. In the retrospective analysis, we evaluated the clinical effects of VATS surgical treatment for patients with myasthenia gravis .Methods: Retrospectively analyse 21 patients with myasthenia gravis underwent VATS (Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery) extended thymectomy treatment between May 2005 and Sep 2010 in our hospita1. The data including age, gender, pathological foundings, disease duration and Osserman classification were analyzed. The characteristics of VATS thymectomy and outcome of myasthenia gravis were documented during follow-up all patients. And we assess their long-term efficacy with these data.Results: A total of 21 consecutive patients underwent VATS extended thymectomy for MG. Median postoperative stay was 9 days. Pathologic examination revealed thymic hyperplasia in 16 (76.19%) of cases, and type B2 thymoma in 4 (19.05%), type B1 thymoma in 1 (4.76%). After a follow-up from 4~78 months, complete remissions of myasthenia were achieved in 6 patients , partial remission in 9 patients, stable in 6 patients and 0 progressed.The overall effective rate for myasthenia gravis was 71.43%. And the effective rates about different age, gender, pathological foundings, disease duration and Osserman classification have no significance (P>0.05).Conclusion: VATS extended thymectomy for MG results in symptomatic improvement in the vast majority of patients, with a high rate of CR. The procedure is associated with low complications and no perioperative mortality. The effective rates about different age, gender, pathological foundings, disease duration and Osserman classification have no significance. |
