title: Subcostal thoracoscopic extended thymectomy for patients with myasthenia gravis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Extended thymectomy is indicated for patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) when drug-resistance or dependence is seen. We have employed a technique for subcostal thoracoscopic extended thymectomy (STET) on patients with MG.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical data of 15 eligible patients who underwent STET in our department from February 2015 to November 2015 by the same surgical team were retrospectively analyzed. The operation time, blood loss, duration of postoperative hospital stay, thoracic drainage periods were concerned.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the surgeries were finished successfully without conversion to sternotomy. Mean operation time was 157.53±40.31 min (range, 73-275 min). Mean blood loss was 56.33±7.07 mL (range, 10-200 mL). Mean pleural drainage volume in the first 24 hours was 72.67±17.68 mL (range, 0-250 mL). Mean postoperative thoracic drainage periods were 1.20±0.71 days (range, 0-3 days). Mean duration of postoperative hospital stay was 6.13±0.71 days (range, 3-22 days).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This procedure showed satisfactory results for patients with MG. Moreover, the STET approach is more easily for surgeons to fully reveal the bilateral phrenic nerve and the upper thymic poles. We believe that STET is a satisfactory procedure for performing extended thymectomy in well selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Zhu-An
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Yiwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: En-Wu
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Haiping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Xiufan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Zhuohua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Gui-Bin
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Qiao
keywords: Subcostal; thoracoscopy/video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS); thymectomy