Video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy for XXXX .

@entity1 @entity1737 @entity128
BACKGROUND: Thymectomy is an effective, but radical therapy for @entity1737 . Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) may allow a minimally invasive alternative to the standard sternotomy approach. AIMS: To audit prospectively the outcome of VATS thymectomy for @entity1737 in a unit specializing in advanced VATS techniques. METHODS: Twenty-six @entity1 underwent VATS thymectomy between 1997 and 2001. Most underwent preoperative plasma exchange therapy. Seventeen @entity1 and nine @entity1 with a median age of 36 years (range 17-71 years) had a right-sided VATS approach to remove all anterior mediastinal fat and thymic tissue. RESULTS: There was no perioperative mortality and all procedures were concluded successfully, with one @entity1 requiring sternotomy. Twenty-five @entity1 were extubated in theatre and one @entity1 required 17 h of assisted ventilation. The other significant complication was a diathermy @entity128 , which recovered. Median postoperative stay was 4 days (range 2-6 days), with median postoperative chest drainage for 2 days (range 1-3 days). Three @entity1 had progression of disease postoperatively. The remainder were asymptomatic (7), improved (14) or stable (2). CONCLUSION: In a dedicated unit with neurological and intensive care support, VATS thymectomy is a safe, effective method of obtaining remission or improvement in @entity1737 ( @entity1737 ). While achieving the same surgical goal, this approach offers advantages of improved cosmesis, shorter recovery time and minimal chest wall disruption over the gold standard of sternotomy. Better @entity1 acceptance of this minimally invasive technique may result in wider application of the benefits of thymectomy in @entity1737 .
