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Objective: Assessing the cost-effectiveness of open or thoracoscopic thymectomy compared to medical therapy in managing myasthenia gravis not associated with thymoma., Methods: A Markov model was designed for evaluating three strategies' cost-effectiveness. Transition probabilities were taken from the pertinent literature; the costs were estimated from official tariff manuals. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated and probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analysis was used for clinical variables, costs and the model's assumptions., Results: Thoracoscopic thymectomy was the most effective and least costly strategy and dominated the other two alternatives. The cost per life year gained was Col $ 1 129 531 without discount and Col $ 805 179 with discount. Univariate sensitivity analysis showed that the main variables affecting the results were the effects' discount rate, the cost of a myasthenic crisis and the probability of complete remission. Thoracoscopy thymectomy was the most cost-effective strategy for different thresholds of willingness to pay in probabilistic analysis., Conclusions: Thoracoscopic thymectomy is a cost-effective strategy in the treatment of MG without thymoma.

Currently, no specific item regarding endoscopic thymectomy for nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis is listed in the standards of deciding medical service fees. To understand the present situation regarding the medical fee-for-service for endoscopic thymectomy, a questionnaire survey was conducted involving the institutions and members participating in the Japanese Association for Research on the Thymus. Of 101 responding institutions, 18 (18%) reported basically performing endoscopic thymectomy in all qualifying patients, and 32% of the institutions reported mainly performing median sternotomy but sometimes performing endoscopic thymectomy. The methods of approaching endoscopic thymectomy varied among the institutions, but most included endoscopic clips or ultrasound-driven scalpels as well as anterior chest wall lifting devices. A total of 214 patients underwent thymectomy in 2004 in the responding institutions, of whom 77 patients (32%) underwent endoscopic thymectomy. In total, 71% of the responding institutions answered that a specific item regarding endoscopic thymectomy should be listed in the standards for deciding medical service fees.