Benefits include less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stays, faster recovery from surgery, and a quicker return to full activity. The procedure may also be performed minimally invasively through the side of the chest, via video-assisted thoracoscopy VATS. Small surgical instruments and a camera for viewing the procedure are inserted through the incisions. Surgery takes place entirely inside the closed chest. Benefits include reduced recovery time and less postoperative pain than the open approach.
This is the most cosmetically appealing of thymectomy procedures due to the location and the small size of the incision. In a robotic thymectomy the surgeon makes three tiny incisions — each about a half-inch long — on one side of the chest. The same tiny camera and surgical instruments used in a minimally invasive thymectomy are inserted through the incisions.
But then the arms of the daVinci robot are attached to those instruments. The surgeon sits at a console, controlling the robotic arms, which separates the thymus gland from its surrounding tissue and bone and removes it through one of the incisions. The advantages of robotic surgery over VATS alone is far greater control, which reduces the risk of complications even more. The extremely flexible instruments used in robotic surgery more closely replicates human wrist movement but without any shakiness.
Surgeons can operate more easily and intuitively, and with much greater precision. They also view the surgical area up close through a magnified system that shows everything, such as pulmonary arteries, in three dimensions. Call for existing patients, for new patients, or request an appointment online to get started today. Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Myasthenia Gravis. Key Info Myasthenia Gravis is a chronic autoimmune condition Treatment involves surgical removal of the thymus, which can be done in a number of ways Non-surgical options such as plasmapheresis, immunoglobulin, and medications can help treat symptoms of myasthenia gravis but cannot cure the condition.
Myasthenia Gravis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
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Envelope icon Subscribe to our newsletter Get regular updates to your inbox. Your Email. How thymectomy helps myasthenia gravis patients The thymus is a small gland in the upper chest, under the breastbone.
Much has been learned about myasthenia gravis in recent years. Technological advances have led to more timely and accurate diagnosis, and new and enhanced therapies have improved management of the disorder. There is a greater understanding about the structure and function of the neuromuscular junction, the fundamental aspects of the thymus gland and of autoimmunity, and the disorder itself. Despite these advances, however, there is still much to learn.
Researchers are seeking to learn what causes the autoimmune response in myasthenia gravis, and to better define the relationship between the thymus gland and myasthenia gravis. Different drugs are being tested, either alone or in combination with existing drug therapies, to see if they are effective in treating myasthenia gravis. One study is examining the use of methotrexate therapy in individuals who develop symptoms and signs of the disease while on prednisone therapy.
The drug suppresses blood cell activity that causes inflammation. Another study is investigating the use of rituximab, a monoclonal antibody against B cells which make antibodies, to see if it decreases certain antibodies that cause the immune system to attack the nervous system.
Investigators are also determining if eculizumab is safe and effective in treating individuals with generalized myasthenia gravis who also receive various immunosuppressant drugs.
Another study seeks further understanding of the molecular basis of synaptic transmission in the nervous system.
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