Robotic–Assisted Thymectomy in Patients with Nonthymomatous Myasthenia Gravis

Complete removal of the thymus and fatty tissue adherent to pericardium is crucial for treating myasthenia gravis. Our aim was to analyze our surgical and clinical results and early experience of robot-assisted thymectomy in patients with nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis. Between January 2008 and October 2010, 8 patients, all women, with nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis underwent robot-assisted thymectomy using a 3-port, left-sided approach. There were no operative mortality; 1 patient had left phrenic nerve injury. Complete remission was achieved in 25% of the patients at 18 months’ follow-up. There was no significant agreement between preoperative computed tomography and histopathology finding (kappa = 0.059; P = 0.85) and no significant correlation between age and duration of symptoms (P = 0.51). Robotic-assisted thymectomy is promising procedure. It can be performed safely and effectively. With follow-up greater than 12 months, 87.5% of the patients who underwent robot-assisted thymectomy demonstrated clinical improvement.