Clinical, paraclinical characteristics and initial results of uniportal subxiphoid video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy for the treatment of myasthenia gravis at Bach Mai Hospital, 2023 – 2025
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Abstract
This study included 51 patients with myasthenia gravis who underwent uniportal subxiphoid thoracoscopic thymectomy at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Bach Mai Hospital between 2023 and 2025 to evaluate clinical characteristics, paraclinical characteristics and preliminary surgical outcomes. The mean age was 46.45 ± 15.21 years old, 70.59 % females. The most common symptom was ptosis (78.43%), followed by muscle weakness/fatigue (33.33%) and dysphagia (23.53%). All patients received stable medical treatment before surgery and were mainly classified as Osserman stage I–II. Imaging findings showed that most tumor lesions were well-defined, contrast-enhanced, and homogeneous. Histopathological examination revealed 72.55% of thymoma and 27.45% of thymic hyperplasia. The mean operative time was 107.15 ± 22.78 minutes, with no conversion to open surgery. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 4.90 ± 3.98 days, and postoperative complications were uncommon. Uniportal subxiphoid thoracoscopic thymectomy appears to be a safe, minimally invasive, and feasible approach for the treatment of myasthenia gravis.
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Keywords
Myasthenia gravis, thymectomy, uni-port thoracoscopy, subxiphoid approach, thoracic surgery
References
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