Thymic Surgery

The thymus gland is an organ of the immune system. Once people reach adulthood, it is believed to no longer to serve any useful function and it usually shrinks or disappears altogether. Diseases involving the thymus gland include cancer, enlargement, and Myasthenia Gravis.

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a neurologic disease resulting in muscle weakness. The exact role of the thymus gland in this disease is not known but surgical removal of the thymus can result in significant improvement of symptoms in patients with Myasthenia Gravis.

Thymic cancer and enlargement causing symptoms are best treated by surgery. Minimally-invasive thymectomy (removal of the thymus) is almost always possible for MG and enlargement, while a conventional approach is a believed to result in better long-term survival in patients with cancer.

For more information on thymic surgery, please contact 619-532-9140 to speak to a health care professional.