Question

A friend has to undergo a thymectomy and is concerned about the consequences to their immune health. What would you tell them? from the immunology point of view

Answer 1

Thymectomy is surgical removal of thymus gland. So, the person who has to undergo a thymectomy has loosed his thymus gland.

Normally thymus gland is very important organ in immune system. In adolescence thymus gland process and mature thymocytes which become T-lymphocytes and are released into the circulation. After that they populate in lymphoid organ for storage until needed.

So, removal of thymus gland in adult condition appeared to have little effect on adult persons or their lymphocytes as its role has been completed. Thus, that friend needs not to worry much about his health from the immunology point of view.