Minimally invasive thymectomy: the Mayo Clinic experience.

BACKGROUND The prevalence of minimally invasive thymectomy (MIT) is increasing and may have significant benefit to patients in terms of morbidity and post-operative recovery. Our aim was to review the Mayo Clinic experience of MIT. METHODS We reviewed data from all MIT cases collected in a prospectively maintained database from January 1995 to February 2015. Data were collected regarding patient demographics, perioperative management and patient outcomes. RESULTS A total of 510 thymectomies were performed in 20 years. Fifty-six patients underwent MIT (45 video-assisted thoracoscopy, 11 robotic-assisted). The median age was 55 years (range, 23-87 years) with male to female ratio of 25:31. Thymoma was the main pathologic diagnosis in 27/56 patients (48%), with 11/27 (41%) associated with myasthenia gravis (MG), and 16/27 (59%) non-MG. Other pathologies included 1/56 (2%) of each teratoma, lymphoma, lymphangioma, carcinoma and thymolipoma. There were 3/56 (5%) atrophic glands, 4/56 (7%) cysts, 6/56 (11%) benign glands and 11/56 (20%) hyperplastic. Mean blood loss (mL) and operative time (min) were significantly lower in the video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) group compared to robotic (65±41 vs. 160±205 mL, P=0.04 and 102±39 vs. 178±53 min, P=0.001, respectively). There was no 30-day mortality. Post-operative morbidity occurred in 7/45 (16%) VATS patients (phrenic nerve palsy 7%, pericarditis 4%, atrial fibrillation 2%, pleural effusion 2%) and 1/11 (9%) robotic (urinary retention requiring self-catheterization). Reoperation was required in 1/3 of VATS patients with phrenic nerve palsy. There was no significant difference in length of hospital stay [VATS 1.5 days (range, 1-4 days) and robotic 2 days (range, 1-5 days) VATS; P=0.05]. Mean follow-up was 18.4 months (range, 1-50.4 months) with no tumor recurrences. CONCLUSIONS MIT can be performed with low morbidity and mortality. VATS is associated with reduced blood loss, operative times and earlier hospital discharge compared to robotic MIT.