Modified unilateral video-assisted thoracoscopic extended thymectomy for myasthenia gravis using 5-mm incisions: A case report

RATIONALE: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the most common cause of acquired neuromuscular junction disorder. Thymectomy has been established as an effective therapy for MG, as it attenuates the natural course of the disease and may result in complete remission. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report the case of a 22-year-old female with a 6-year history of MG presented with bilateral ptosis, diplopia, and intermittent dysphagia. She denied shortness of breath, dysarthria, and fatigue. DIAGNOSES: She had been diagnosed with MG 6 years previously at the Neurology Department of our hospital. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed thymic hyperplasia INTERVENTIONS: She was treated with modified unilateral VATET that minimized incision size. OUTCOMES: Unilateral VATET was performed using two 5-mm incisions to minimize pressure on intercostal soft tissues/nerves and reduce postoperative pain. LESSONS: The lesson learnt from this case report is that this modified VATET method could be a useful approach to the management of non-thymomatous MG. The ability to achieve complete dissection with good cosmetic results may lead to wider acceptance of this technique by patients with MG and their neurologists for earlier thymectomy and improved outcomes. Additional studies are needed to determine the superiority of this approach to established methods.