The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
Volume 134, Issue 3 , Pages 601-607 , September 2007

Neurologic outcomes of thymectomy in myasthenia gravis: Comparative analysis of the effect of thymoma

  • Hong Kwan Kim, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Thoracic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
    • ,
  • Min Soo Park, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
    • ,
  • Yong Soo Choi, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Thoracic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
    • ,
  • Kwhanmien Kim, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Thoracic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
    • ,
  • Young Mog Shim, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Thoracic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
    • ,
  • Joungho Han, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
    • ,
  • Byoung Joon Kim, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
    • ,
  • Jhingook Kim, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Thoracic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress for reprints: Jhingook Kim, MD, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, 50 Ilwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-710, Korea.

Received 8 February 2007 ,Revised 1 May 2007 ,Accepted 11 May 2007.

References 

  1. Hohlfeld R, Wekerle H. The thymus in myasthenia gravis. Neurol Clin. 1994;12:331–342
  2. Wekerle H. The thymus in myasthenia gravis. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1993;681:47–55
  3. Papatestas AE, Genkins G, Kornfeld P, Eisenkraft JB, Fagerstrom RP, Pozner J, et al. Effects of thymectomy in myasthenia gravis. Ann Surg. 1987;206:79–88
  4. Jaretzki A, Penn AS, Younger DS, Wolff M, Olarte MR, Lovelace RE, et al. “Maximal” thymectomy for myasthenia gravis (Results). J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1988;95:747–757
  5. Hoosterhuis H. The natural course of myasthenia gravis: a long term follow-up study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1989;52:1121–1127
  6. Durelli L, Maggi G, Casadio C, Ferri R, Rendine S, Bergamini R. Actuarial analysis of the occurrence of remissions following thymectomy for myasthenia gravis in 400 patients. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1991;54:406–411
  7. Masaoka A, Yamakawa Y, Niwa H, Fukai I, Kondo S, Kobayashi M, et al. Extended thymectomy for myasthenia gravis patients: a 20-year review. Ann Thorac Surg. 1996;62:853–859
  8. Cosi V, Romani A, Lombardi M, Raiola E, Bergamaschi R, Piccolo G, et al. Prognosis of myasthenia gravis: a retrospective study of 380 patients. J Neurol. 1997;244:548–555
  9. Tellez-Zenteno JF, Remes-Troche JM, Garcia-Ramos G, Estanol B, Garduno-Espinoza J. Prognostic factors of thymectomy in patients with myasthenia gravis: a cohort of 132 patients. Eur Neurol. 2001;46:171–177
  10. Budde JM, Morris CD, Gal AA, Mansour KA, Miller JI. Predictors of outcome in thymectomy for myasthenia gravis. Ann Thorac Surg. 2001;72:197–202
  11. Jaretzki A, Barohn RJ, Ernstoff RM, Kaminski HJ, Keesey JC, Penn AS, et al. Myasthenia gravis: recommendations for clinical research standards. Task Force of the Medical Scientific Advisory Board of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America. Neurology. 2000;55:16–23
  12. Masaoka A, Monden Y, Nakahara K, Tanioka T. Follow-up study of thymomas with special reference to their clinical stages. Cancer. 1981;48:2485–2492
  13. Osserman KE, Genkins G. Studies in myasthenia gravis: review of twenty-year experience in over 1200 patients. Mt Sinai J Med. 1971;38:497–537
  14. Blalock A, Harvey A, Ford F, Lilienthal J. The treatment of myasthenia gravis by removal of the thymus gland. JAMA. 1941;117:1529–1531
  15. Gronseth GS, Barohn RJ. Practice parameter: thymectomy for autoimmune myasthenia gravis (an evidence-based review): report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2000;55:7–15
  16. Hatton PD, Diehl JT, Benedict DTD, Rheinlander HF, Johnson H, Schrader JB, et al. Transsternal radical thymectomy for myasthenia gravis: a 15-year review. Ann Thorac Surg. 1989;47:838–840
  17. Frist WH, Thirumalai S, Christopher BD, Merrill WH, Stewart JR, Fenichel GM, et al. Thymectomy for the myasthenia gravis patient: factors influencing outcome. Ann Thorac Surg. 1994;57:334–338
  18. Venuta F, Rendina EA, Giacomo TD, Rocca GD, Antonini G, Ciccone AM, et al. Thymectomy for myasthenia gravis: a 27-year experience. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 1999;15:621–625
  19. Nieto IP, Robledo JP, Pajuelo MC, Montes JA, Giron JG, Alonso JG, et al. Prognostic factors for myasthenic gravis treated by thymectomy: review of 61 cases. Ann Thorac Surg. 1999;67:1568–1571

 Supported by the Samsung Medical Center Clinical Research Development Program grant, CRS 104-32-2.

PII: S0022-5223(07)00876-8

doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2007.05.015

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
Volume 134, Issue 3 , Pages 601-607 , September 2007

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