A Guide to Thymectomy Surgery

A thymectomy is a surgical procedure that is carried out to remove the thymus gland. This gland is an organ of the immune system. The most common condition against which a thymectomy is carried out is Myasthenia Gravis [MG], which is an auto-immune condition in which antibodies produced inside the human body begin to work against proper neuro-muscular functioning. It is a progressive disease. Severe cases of myasthenia gravis require intubation to keep the air passage clear and to feed the patient. A thymectomy can help control the condition and cause it to go into remission.


Another condition for which a thymectomy is performed is a thymoma. Fifteen out of hundred patients suffering from myasthenia gravis also suffer from this cancerous tumor. Thymomas can spread slowly but eventually metastasis to surrounding tissue does happen and the condition becomes that much more difficult to treat. Thymic lymphomas are another type of malignant tumor that requires surgery for removal.


However, in the U.S the most common cause for carrying out a thymectomy is heart surgery in neonates. Surgeons need to remove the thymus to gain proper access to the heart, the organ shrivels as we age and is larger in children.


In cases of myasthenia gravis, the surgical removal of the thymus is best performed early. Ideally, patients that are sixty years or younger have the best chances of benefiting from this surgery. Even in cases of malignancies, the procedure should ideally be performed early. It is important to note that this procedure does not constitute treatment for MG. It is a part of the treatment process that includes medication. The objective of the procedure is to send the disease into remission or to try and slow it down.


Surgery to remove the thymus is a major operation and your surgeon should apprise you of the risks as well as side effects. Internal bleeding, pain at the site of surgery, complications due to pre-existing conditions, are some of the possible undesirable consequences of thymectomy. Sometimes, a collapsed lung can occur. After the surgery, the patient will experience weakness and will take some time to regain health. In fact, MG patients experience weakness regardless of surgery. Therefore, doctors have to be doubly careful in ensuring that the patient is in the best possible shape to undergo surgery.


After the surgery, you have to exercise care for six to eight weeks and not expose the chest area to undue and excessive stress. This means you should not drive a car, lift heavy loads, or play vigorously with kids.


A person who is a candidate for a thymectomy should choose a surgeon carefully. Get references. The doctor should be able to explain in clear terms the risks and benefits of the procedure vis-à-vis treatment via medication only. The thymectomy can be performed transcervically or transsternally. The former technique results in a more complete removal of the gland. It is now possible to carry out a thymectomy using laparoscopic techniques. This procedure is less stressful on the patient and results in a smaller scar after the surgery.

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