Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Transcervical excision of thymoma and video-assisted thoracoscopic extended thymectomy (VATET) for ectopic cervical thymoma with myasthenia gravis: report of a case

  • Case Report
  • Published:
General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis is the most common disease associated with thymoma, but it is rarely accompanied by ectopic thymoma. We describe a 47-year-old woman who presented with an ectopic cervical thymoma with myasthenia gravis. She was admitted to our neurology department with ptosis, diplopia, and mandibular muscle fatigue, and was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. The mass was located posterior to the right lobe of thyroid gland on computed tomography and was diagnosed as ectopic thymoma on fine-needle aspiration biopsy examination. Transcervical excision of thymoma and VATET were performed. The patient has been free of neurological symptoms and has displayed no evidence of recurrent thymoma for 2 years.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wu TH, Jin JS, Huang TW, Chang H, Lee SC. Ectopic cervical thymoma in a patient with myasthenia gravis. J Cardiothorac Surg. 2011;6:89.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Choi H, Koh SH, Park MH, Kim SH. Myasthenia gravis associated with ectopic cervical thymoma. J Clin Neurosci. 2008;15:1393–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Koezuka S, Sato F, Hata Y, Otsuka H, Yussa R, Kiribayashi T, et al. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for ectopic middle mediastinal thymoma in a patient with myasthenia gravis. Ann Thorac Surg. 2013;95:e67–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Kim HS, Lee HJ, Cho SY, Koh JS, Ryoo BY, Kim CH, Lee JC. Myasthenia gravis in ectopic thymoma presenting as pleural masses. Lung Cancer. 2007;57:115–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Suster S, Rosai J. Histology of the normal thymus. Am J Surg Pathol. 1990;14:284–303.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Nakamura H, Adachi Y, Fujioka S, Miwa K, Haruki T, Taniguchi Y. Thoracoscopic resection of middle mediastinal noninvasive thymoma: report of a case. Surg Today. 2007;37:787–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Nagasawa K, Takahashi K, Hayashi T, Aburano T. Ectopic cervical thymoma: MRI findings. Am J Roentgenol. 2004;182:262–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Fukuda T, Itami M, Sawa H, Furukawa T, Fukakusa S, Tsuchihashi N, et al. A case of thymoma arising from undescended thymus. High uptake of Tallium-201 Chloride. Eur J Nucl Med. 1980;5:465–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Miller WT Jr, Gefter WB, Miller WT. Thymoma mimicking a thyroid mass. Radiology. 1992;184:75–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Kato H, Hattori T, Urano M, Sakura K, Okada T, Yui T, et al. A case report of ectopic cervical thymoma: a new approach for a preoperative diagnosis. J Jpn Soc Head Neck Surg. 2010;20:185–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Vincent A, Palace J, Hilton-Jones D. Myasthenia gravis. Lancet. 2001;357:2122–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Zahid I, Sharif S, Routledge T, Scarci M. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery or transsternal thymectomy in the treatment of myasthenia gravis? Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2011;12:40–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kenichi Okubo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kumazawa, S., Ishibashi, H., Takahashi, K. et al. Transcervical excision of thymoma and video-assisted thoracoscopic extended thymectomy (VATET) for ectopic cervical thymoma with myasthenia gravis: report of a case. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 64, 752–754 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-015-0582-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-015-0582-3

Keywords

Navigation