[Thoracoscopic Thymectomy]

Background/purpose: The use of videothoracoscopy in thoracic pediatric pathology has been progressively accepted in different diagnostic and therapeutic procedures along last decade. The aim of this work is to analyze our initial experience in thymectomy through this approach.

Patients And Methods: We have used the thoracoscopic approach in the last two cases of thymus pathology with surgical indication. Case 1: 9 year-old patient recently diagnosed on myasthenia gravis and several hospital admissions because of clinical worsening. Case 2: 9 year-old patient with a 7x8x3.5 cm. cervico-mediastinal tumour.

Final Diagnosis: Multilocular cystic thymoma. In both cases we used right approach in lateral decubitus, and the harmonic scalpel.

Results: Mean operating time was 125 minutes. No procedure-related complications. They were discharged on the 6th and 4th postoperative day. After 6 and 7 month follow-up, no incidences have been found, and case 1 has shown a sympthomatic improvement and a decrease in drug dosage.

Conclusions: Thoracoscopy is a good alternative in thymus approach. Its cosmetic and recovery advantages upon transcervical and transsternal are obvious. Despite our very initial experience, we believe that this approach at least equals classic ones in the ability to resect the whole thymus.