Extended transsternal thymectomy was carried out in 10 patients with myasthenia gravis. There were 2 males and 8 females. Thymic hyperplasia was found in 7patients, athrophic thymus in 1 and thymoma in 2. In the nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis patients complete remission was achieved in 4 patients (40%), pharmacological remission in 3 patients (30 %) and improvement in 1 patient (10%). One patient (10%) with thymoma died because of respiratory failure. Another patient (10%) with thymoma has improved. In conclusion, clinical improvement was obtained in 90% of our patients following extended transsternal thymectomy. [Journal of Turgut Ozal Medical Center 1997;4(1):89-92]
Key Words: Myasthenia gravis, extended thymectomy
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