Primary surgery for thymic epithelial tumours without involvement of the pleura (Scenario 1): There were 3 TET resections (thymomectomies) without thymectomy, 5 thymomectomies combined with basic thymectomies (removal of thymic lobes) and 22 thymomectomies in conjunction with extended thymectomies (basic thymectomy plus resection of mediastinal and cervical fatty tissue). All patients had a recurrence to the pleura (Fig. 2).