@Article{Stosio2017,
journal="Kardiochirurgia i Torakochirurgia Polska/Polish Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery",
issn="1731-5530",
volume="14",
number="4",
year="2017",
title="The significance of neonatal thymectomy for shaping the immune system in children with congenital heart defects",
abstract="The thymus plays an important role in the development of the immune cell pool; it serves as the primary location for   T-lymphocyte maturation. Early cardiac surgical interventions for congenital heart defects are necessarily associated with thymectomy, i.e. the partial or complete removal of the thymus. A newborn infant already has a functioning thymus and developed cells of the immune system. However, thymectomy eliminates the primary location where T cells differentiate and mature. This study summarizes the current knowledge of the cellular disturbances and potential clinical consequences associated with performing thymectomy in children treated surgically for congenital heart defects.",
author="Stosio, Małgorzata
and Ruszkowski, Jakub
and Mikosik-Roczyńska, Anna
and Haponiuk, Ireneusz
and Witkowski, Jacek M.",
pages="258--262",
doi="10.5114/kitp.2017.72231",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.5114/kitp.2017.72231"
}