Transcervical thymectomy.

摘要

Transcervical thymectomy is appropriate for managing carefully selected patients with myasthenia gravis due to its noninvasive nature, good cosmetic results, and favorable long-term outcomes. Contraindications to its use include the presence of a thymoma and advanced age. In optimally prepared patients, the operative complication rate is negligible and the average length of hospital stay is 1 to 2 days. The ultimate results of therapy often are not evident for several years postoperatively, indicating that comprehensive preoperative and postoperative treatment by a qualified neurologist is essential in optimizing outcomes. A meta-analysis of long-term results shows that 90% of patients who undergo the operation are improved, 80% become asymptomatic, and 50% achieve a complete remission.