Single-center retrospective analysis of 162 cases with thymoma complicating myasthenia gravis

We conducted this study to retrospectively analyze the clinical effects of surgical resection for patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) complicated with thymoma.

162 patients with myasthenia gravis complicated with thymoma, that were admitted to our hospital and underwent surgical disease resection from Nov. 1993 to Nov. 2015, were selected for this study. Analyzed were the pathology (2004 WHO), Masaoka clinical stage, myasthenia gravis types (Osserman types), myasthenic crisis during the perioperative period, and the relationship between recurrence and survival rates during follow-up visits. Operational methods included thymusectomy by sternal incision or video-assisted thoracoscopic thymusectomy.

There were significant differences regarding distribution of clinical stages among different types of pathology. The operation time, efficacy rate, 5 and 10-year survival rates and complication rates during the perioperative period of video-assisted thoracoscopy were compared to those of the conventional surgery group. Among these groups, hemorrhage during operation, postoperative drainage and recurrence rate were significantly lower in the thoracoscopy group than in those of the conventional surgery group (p<0.05).

The pathology type and clinical stages of thymoma complicating myasthenia gravis are related to the types of myasthenia gravis and the myasthenic crisis during perioperative period. Therefore, our results indicate that the thoracoscope treatment is safe and effective.