Thymectomy in myasthenia gravis - the status quo

Between May 1992 and June 1997, 11 patients with myasthenia gravis and 1 asymptomatic patient with thymoma underwent extensive thymectomy through a median sternotomy. Seven patients were male and 5 female. The mean age at onset of myasthenia gravis was 46.5 (13-73) years. The interval between the first symptom and diagnosis was 3.6 months (1 week - 7 months), between the first symptom and thymectomy 8.3 months (2 weeks - 36 months) and the mean followup period was 28.4 months (3-57 months). Clinical improvement after extensive thymectomy was noted in 80% of patients. Four patients became asymptomatic under decreased medication. Thymectomy was found to be beneficial even in older patients or patients with the purely ocular type of myasthenia gravis. There was no perioperative mortality or long-term morbidity.