[Thymectomy in myasthenia gravis pseudoparalytica]

From 1967 to 1982, 109 thymectomies were performed mainly in patients with moderate severity of the disease. The age of patients averaged 30,3 years. Operative lethality amounted to 2.7%. Another 4 patients died of the basic disease 6 months after the operation. During the subsequent course 70% of the patients showed a longlasting improvement after thymectomy, with complete recovery occurring in 23% and a significant amelioration in 40% of thymectomized patients. In another 32% there was a slight improvement of complaints. The best results could be observed in myasthenic patients with thymic hyperplasia whereas only a slight remission occurred after removing thymomas. 5 to 10 years after thymectomy the improvement rates remained approximately at the same level. Consequently, thymectomy can be regarded as a successful therapy in myasthenia gravis pseudoparalytica.