My Thymectomy via Median Sternotomy and Recovery: Myasthenia Gravis

Introduction

Following my operation in July 2023, I thought it may be helpful to put a blog post together of my Thymectomy (removal of the Thymus Gland), which was done via a Median Sternotomy (opening of the chest).

It is said that in around 50% of cases that the removal of the Thymus Gland does end up curing Myasthenia Gravis.

🏥 The Surgery: Thymectomy via Median Sternotomy

On Tuesday 18th July 2023, I underwent a thymectomy at the Royal Brompton Hospital. The procedure was necessary because doctors found a tumour on my thymus gland, and they recommended prompt removal, as it was close to pressing on my heart.

The night before, I stayed in a nearby hotel and checked into the hospital early Tuesday morning (around 6:30am), having fasted since midnight. The operation began around 10:30am and took approximately two hours.

The procedure required my chest to be opened using clamps, and then wired back together afterwards.

🛏 Hospital Stay & Initial Recovery

After the operation, I spent a few hours in recovery and was then moved to a private side room for observation. I remained there until that evening, before being moved to a shared ward with four other patients on the same day.

I stayed in the hospital until Friday afternoon, meaning I was discharged roughly three and a half days post-op.

💥 Pain & Physical Recovery

Honestly, the worst part of the recovery was the sternum pain. The incision itself – which is around 30cm long down the centre of my chest – wasn’t particularly painful. The discomfort came mainly from the sternum being split and rewired.

Coughing, sneezing or sudden movements were uncomfortable, but I’d describe the sensation as soreness rather than sharp pain. My pain levels ranged from 2 to 6 out of 10, and were well-managed with morphine, paracetamol, and cocodamol in the hospital.

Remarkably, by 2pm on the day of surgery, I was encouraged to sit in a chair and begin walking. I was walking short distances the next day.

🧼 Daily Activities & Independence

By Wednesday (the day after surgery), I was encouraged to wash myself, which I managed without issue. I was eating normally and using the bathroom without assistance. I returned home on Friday evening, and sat in my dining chair that same night (having walked to my local Chinese takeaway), and by Monday morning, I was back working from home.

Upon being discharged I took hour-long evening walks to keep active and help with lung function and general circulation.

📅 What was Next?

Around ten days after my operation, I visited my GP to have the stitches removed by a nurse.

Around 2 weeks later I had a telephone call from the surgeon asking how things were.

Around 1 month later, I had a call from the Royal Brompton giving me the results of the biopsy performed on the tumor, which was benign

The thymus gland and tumour are now gone, which is a positive step – however whether this in the long term gets rid of the Myasthenia Gravis, we’ll have to wait and see!

🙏 Final Thoughts

This was a major surgery, but not a traumatic one. If you’re being offered a thymectomy and are concerned about the recovery – I hope my experience reassures you. It’s manageable, and really not that bad at all. The pain is temporary, and within a week I was back to (a fairly normal) life.

It’s unknown if this procedure will “cure” the Myasthenia Gravis, and I may still require medication long-term. But removing the tumour was vital, as it could have caused other problems on my heart, etc

If you have any questions about the experience, feel free to reach out – I’m happy to help others going through this, or with the operation upcoming.

Around 8 days after my operation, I recorded a video, which you can see here: