The long-term efficacy and multiple-factor analysis of thymus expanding resection treatment for myasthenia gravis

Objective To explore the long-term efficacy and related factors of the thymus expanding treatment for Myasthenia Gravis.Methods We took a retrospective analysis about clinical data in 62 patients who were diagnosed as Myasthenia Gravis and received the thymus expanding resection plus mediastinal fat dissection from January 1997 to December 2011.The postoperative efficacy judgment was in accordance with the American Association of Myasthenia Gravis: complete remission,partial remission(the above two known as effective),stability and deterioration.Results The total efficiency was 82.3% and the 1,3 and 5 years efficient were 85.7%,89.4%,76.9% respectively.The sex composition,age at the time of operation,postoperative pathological type,whether happened crisis before and after the surgery,tumor size,age of onset were all unrelated with long-term efficacy(P0.05).While preoperative course,Osserman typing,whether with other diseases before operation,steroid administration time before operation were related to the long-term efficacy(P0.05).The thymus expanding resection was the effective means for treating Myasthenia Gravis;The remission rate and effective rate were gradually improved with the extension of postoperative follow-up time.The efficacy is better in non-thymoma than thymoma with prolonged follow-up time.But there was no statistically difference between non-thymoma and thymoma in curative effect.Conclusion The thymus expanding resection is the effective means for treating Myasthenia Gravis;In order to achieve better curative effect,the preoperative course,Osserman typing,whether with other diseases before operation,steroid administration time should be comprehensive before surgery.