The predictable treatments and results of the thymus surgery

OBJECTIVE: Thymoma and MG are the most frequent indications for thymectomy. At thymic neoplasms the purpose of the surgery is; complete resection including invazive and metastatic diseases, at MG the purpose is the elimination of the antibody production. In study we aimed that, by retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent thymectomy for various reasons, to investigate survival analyses of thymomas, and to query surgical approach by comparing minimally invasive method with open thymectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 80 patients' who thymectomy were performed at the Depertment of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Gaziantep between February 1998-April 2014 datas were analyzed retrospectively. FINDINGS: 37 of 80 patients in our study have different histopatological types of thymoma, and 4 patients have thymic carcinoma diagnosis. 42 patients (52,5%) have MG diagnosis. The majority of patients who has thymoma with MG or not, has been approached with MS. Average survival in patients with thymoma 155.2 ± 14.5 months and 5-year survival probability was calculated as 82.9%. 4 patients with thymic carcinoma have been applied ekstended thymectomy, no recurrence was detected during follow-up. In some patients with thymic malignancies, resection was applied to some anatomical structures due to the invasion. MS has been applied most frequently in patients diagnosed with MG, VATS has been applied in patients with MG diagnosis without thymoma in recent years. Thymectomy in MG leds to complete remission, improvement and decreases myasthenic crisis. RESULTS: The most important prognostic factors for the thymoma are; histopatological type and invasion status and extent of resection. Median sternotomy is the most important method for the complete resection. RT and CT treatments with surgery provides long survival and less recurrence for thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Thymectomy should be applied for complete remission, improvement or not worsening of the disease. Key Words: Thymoma, Myastenia Gravis, Extended Thymectomy, VATS.