A STUDY OF 21 PATIENTS WITH THYMOMA: COMPARISON OF OPEN CHEST AND VIDEO-ASSISTED THORACIC SURGERY FOR THYMOMA

Abstract

A total of 21 patients with thymoma operated on at the hospital was enrolled in this study. These were divided into two groups, one of 8 patients operated with open chest surgery (thoracotomy group) and the other of 13 with video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS group). These two groups were compared with perioperative and postoperative invasion. Perioperative time and a hospital stay were not different. Mean insertion period of chest drain in thoracotomy group was 5.38 days longer than in VATS group 3.25 days. Mean amount of chest drain discharge was 585.1 ml in thoracotomy group more than in VATS group 110.5 ml. These showed significant differences in two groups. Retrospective evaluation of 21 patients, one patient (7.7%) of thoracotomy group should be operated by VATS because of final diagnosis ectopic lung tissus sized of 5.5 cm. And one patient (12.5%) of VATS group should be operated by open chest surgery while the tumor sized of 4.0 cm was diagnosed Type B3 by WHO classification of primary thymic epithelial tumor. Additional resection of mediastinal space was done later. VATS for thymoma was less invasive than open chest surgery for thymoma, however, the surgical indication using VATS is still deliberate.