Transcervical thymectomy for myasthenia gravis.
The authors of this article contend that the transcervical approach for thymectomy allows the safe and complete removal of the thymus and [table: see text] provides equivalent benefit to the patients with regard to opportunity for clinical remission or freedom from progression of the symptoms of MG. The low morbidity and short hospitalization after transcervical thymectomy represent minimal barriers and allow increased willingness of the neurologist to refer a patient for surgical therapy and increased acceptance of the patient towards the recommendations. The authors believe that an early, safe, and complete thymectomy offers all the benefits of surgical removal of the thymus to a patient with MG with minimal risk for morbidity and postoperative pain.
Meyers
B F
BF
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA. meyersb@msnotes.wustl.edu
Cooper
J D
JD
D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000601:surgery*; D009333:Neck; D013934:Thymectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome