Medical Definition of Thymectomy

A thymectomy is the surgical removal of the thymus gland, which is located behind the breast bone and play's a major role in the body's immune system. More specifically, the thymus gland transforms white blood cells (lymphocytes) into T cells which help the body fight viruses and infections. According to the American Cancer Society, a thymectomy is the favored treatment for thymus cancers and is possible in most patients with stage I and II thymomas.

History

• The first documented thymectomy was performed in 1911 by a physician named Ernst Ferdinand Sauerbruch in Zurich, Switzerland. The thymectomy was performed on a patient with myasthenia gravis, a muscular disorder, to influence the course of the disease. The surgery was met with positive results, and between 1940 and 1950, several surgeons used this procedure on myasthenia gravis patients.

Thymomas

• Thymomas are the most common tumor of the thymus and they emerge from thymic epithelial cells which aid in the development and selection of T cells. Several autoimmune diseases, such as pure red cell aplasia (abnormally low levels of red blood cells), myasthenia gravis, and hypogammaglobulinemia (abnormally low levels of antibodies), are linked to thymoma--although its exact cause is unknown. Belinda Rowland, a physician and medical writer for the Gale Group Inc., reports that thymoma effects both men and women between the ages of 40 and 60 years.

Symptoms of Thymoma

• As many as one-half of patients with thymoma are asymptomatic. Symptoms in remaining patients are caused by blood vessels or an enlarged thymus on the windpipe. Symptoms may include:

  --shortness of breath
  --chest pain
  --dizziness
  --coughing
  --muscle fatigue
  --weakness
  --swelling of the face

Myasthenia Gravis

• For patients with the neuromuscular disorder myasthenia gravis, the immune system prevents muscle receptors from properly responding to nerve signals. Muscle fatigue and weakness is often the result. The thymus gland actually causes some cases of myasthenia gravis by harmful thymus-produced antibodies that target muscle receptors. Thymus gland removal is recommended for most patients with myasthenia gravis and may drastically improve symptoms in some patients, according to DoctorsofUSC.com.

Methods of Surgery

• There are currently several ways to perform a thymectomy. A full sternotomy, the most invasive technique, allows for an incision down the middle of the chest to expose the thymus gland for removal.

  A partial sternotomy is when a smaller incision is made down the middle of the chest and only half of the sternum is separated. There is less down time associated with this surgery as opposed to a full sternotomy.

  During the thoracoscopic thymectomy, the surgeon makes two to three small incisions on the side of the chest. The thymus gland is visualized and removed with a small telescope and dissecting instruments.

  A transcervical thymectomy is the least invasive method for removal of the thymus gland. A small incision is made across the lower part of the neck and small instruments are used to remove the thymus.

Post Surgery

• The recovery period depends on the type of surgery performed and may be anywhere from two weeks to three months.