Thymectomy for myasthenia gravis in children

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis is rare in childhood. In the last 12 years, we have treated eight children under 16 years of age for this disease. There were six girls and two boys, a ratio of 3:1. Age of presentation of symptoms ranged from 10 to 16 years (mean 11 3/4). There was no significant family history and there were no significant associated diseases. Antibodies were measured in six patients and were all negative. All patients were given cholinergic drugs and five had corticosteroids as well. Three underwent tracheostomies because of severe respiratory insufficiency. There was clinical deterioration or no improvement in spite of increasing doses of medication; hence, thymectomy was performed in all after an average duration of symptoms of 12 months (range 4 to 17). All thymectomies were done through median sternotomy. There was no postoperative morbidity or mortality. No thymoma was found. Four had lymphoid hyperplasia, in three, the thymus looked normal and in one it looked very atrophic. Dramatic amelioration with eventual complete recovery was seen in six, with an average follow-up of 7.3 years (3 to 11) after thymectomy. Two patients are only one year after thymectomy and are improving progressively. We recommend early thymectomy in myasthenia gravis of childhood on the basis of very encouraging results.