[Thymectomy in the treatment of myasthenia gravis].
OBJECTIVE
To review the clinical course of patients with myasthenia gravis following thymectomy and to identify prognostic factors that may influence outcome.


METHODS
We follow-up 91 patients with myasthenia gravis surgically treated with thymectomy through a median stereotomy from May, 1983 to October, 1993. The overall 5-year remission and improvement probabilities were obtained by Kaplan-Meier Method.


RESULTS
36 (39.6%) patients showed remission, 27 (29.7%) improvement, 14 (15.4%) no change and 14 (15.4%) worsening. The overall 5-year remission and improvement probabilities of patients were 64% and 88% respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Most patient's symptoms after thymectomy were progressively improved with time, which is probably attributable to thymectomy, and the natural history of myasthenia gravis. Age at surgery, sex, duration of clinical course and pathological findings may be important prognostic factors for patients with myasthenia gravis after thymectomy.
Fan
Z
Z
Department of Thoracic Surgery of First Medical College, Norman Bethune University of Medical Sciences, Changchun.
Wen
G
G
Zhang
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013934:Thymectomy