Video-assissted thoracoscopic thymectomy: experiences from 103 Military Hospital

Introduction: To investigate clinical and laboratory characteristics of thymoma and to evaluate the early results of VATS thymectomy for thymoma in Military Hospital 103. Material and Methods: Of 66 thymoma patients with or without myasthenia gravis (MG) underwent VATS thymectomy in Military Hospital 103, from 10/2013 to 5/2018 were enrolled. Results: The mean age was 47.94 ± 6.3. The male : female ratio was 1.0. MG was present in 86.4% patients, mostly at MG stage IIA. There was no in-hospital mortality or major postoperative complication. The mean operation time was 75 ± 35 min, intensive care length of stay 19 ± 5hr, and postoperative hospital length of stay was 6.5 ± 1.3 days. Conclusion: VATS thymectomy for thymoma in Vietnamese patients achieved better cosmesis, and was safe for both non-MG and MG patients.