Editing Thymectomy (section)

==Surgical approaches==
There are a number of surgical approaches to the removal of the thymus gland: transternal (through the [[Sternum|breast bone]]), transcervical (through a small neck incision), and transthoracic (through one or both sides of the chest).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thoracic Surgery – Information for patients: Having a thymectomy procedure |url=https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/patient-information-pages/thoracic-surgery-information-patients-having-thymectomy-procedure |access-date=2024-09-19 |website=University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust |language=en}}</ref>
* The transternal approach is most common and uses the same length-wise incision through the sternum (breast bone) used for most open-heart surgery. It is espoused by surgeons such as Alfred Jaretzki and is the most commonly performed procedure due to its relative simplicity.
* The transcervical approach is a less invasive procedure that allows for removal of the entire thymus gland through a small neck incision. 

There has been no difference in success in symptom improvement between the transsternal approach and the minimally invasive transcervical approach.<ref name=Calhoun_1999>{{cite journal | vauthors = Calhoun RF, Ritter JH, Guthrie TJ, Pestronk A, Meyers BF, Patterson GA, Pohl MS, Cooper JD | display-authors = 6 | title = Results of transcervical thymectomy for myasthenia gravis in 100 consecutive patients | journal = Annals of Surgery | volume = 230 | issue = 4 | pages = 555–9; discussion 559–61 | date = October 1999 | pmid = 10522725 | pmc = 1420904 | doi = 10.1097/00000658-199910000-00011 }}</ref>

Video-assisted approaches, such as [[thoracoscopic surgery]], are increasingly prescribed since the less invasive nature of the procedure strikes a balance with the lack of actual clinical evidence supporting thymectomy in non-thymomal cases.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ng CS, Wan IY, Yim AP | title = Video-assisted thoracic surgery thymectomy: the better approach | journal = The Annals of Thoracic Surgery | volume = 89 | issue = 6 | pages = S2135-41 | date = June 2010 | pmid = 20493997 | doi = 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2010.02.112 | doi-access = free }}</ref>