Thymectomy in myasthenia gravis via video-assisted infra-mammary cosmetic incision

We describe the technique, the benefits and the drawbacks of an original vi deo-assisted thymectomy (VAT), performed through an inframammary cosmetic i ncision and median sternotomy in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients. This proc edure is clinically valuable and cosmetically satisfactory so as to be very well accepted by patients, especially by young women, We report a review o f 71 MG patients treated between 1993 and 1997, A clinical remission was ob tained in 48 (80%) out of 60 patients who had been followed for at least 12 months from surgery. Fifty-three of these patients (93%) judged their cosm etic results to be excellent or good. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.