Thymectomy for non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis: the end of controversy, albeit fifty years late

The recent publication of the first international, multicenter, prospective, singled-blinded, and randomized trial (MGTX trial) comparing extended transsternal thymectomy plus alternate-day prednisone with prednisone alone in generalized non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis (MG) provides an answer and ends a long-running debate on the role and effectiveness of thymectomy in the treatment of non-thymomatous MG patients (1). An initial reading of the results for a three-year period confirms that thymic resection is superior to medical treatment with prednisone alone in these patients. This trial has provided evidence that thymectomy still has an important role to play in the standard treatment of MG.