Objective:To investigate the anesthetic management of thymectomy for the patients with myasthenia gravis.Methods:Sixty-two patients with myasthenia gravis who underwent thymectomy in our hospital from 1984 to 2003 were retrospectively studied.Of these patients

21 cases received peroral endotracheal intubation and 41 cases pernasal intubation.Intravenous-inhalation combined anesthesia was taken during operation.All of 62 patients with endobronchial tube were transferred to ICU and received mechanical ventilation.Results:Twenty-one patients with perora endotracheal intubation were extubated at 4h-6h after operation.Of these 21 patients

five cases had to be intubated again because of repeated occurrence of myasthenia crisis.Forty-one patients with pernasal intubation did not extubated until mechanical ventilation for 6 hrs to 5 days

and none needed for intubation again

pernasal intubation cases were significantly different with peroral endotracheal intubation cases.The statistics have no difference betwen the trachea incisioned and the dead cases.Conclusion:In anesthetic management of thymectomy for the patients with myasthenia gravis

pernasal endotracheal intubation is convenient for prolonged mechanical ventilation

it can effectively prevent the occurrence of postoperative myasthenia crisis.The perioperative safety precautions

intravenous-inhalation combined anesthesia during operation and strengthening management of respriratory tract are very important.