Surgical incision in the wall of the chest.
The surgical opening of the chest wall.
A surgical operation to make a hole in the wall of the chest.
Surgical incision of the chest wall, usually performed laterally between the ribs.
A surgical procedure to open the chest (thorax). A thoracotomy is usually performed to allow a surgeon to operate on a diseased heart, lung, or other chest cavity organ. If lung cancer is suspected, opening the chest wall to take a tissue sample from the suspected tumor site may be necessary for diagnosis. A thoracotomy is also used in severe cases of empyema, an infection in the space surrounding the lungs. If medication and draining the infected fluid from the chest fail to stop the infection, a thoracotomy is performed. The length of the surgery and the hospital recovery period depend on the extent of the surgery and the condition of the person.
Surgical opening of the chest cavity to inspect or operate on the heart, lungs, or other structures within.
A surgical procedure during which the chest is incised to enable access to the organs within the thoracic cavity.
There exist two variants of thoracotomy: lateral and anterior. A lateral thoracotomy involves opening the chest between two ribs, facilitating access to the lungs, major blood vessels, and the esophagus. Conversely, an anterior thoracotomy entails an incision along the sternum’s length (breastbone), granting access to the heart and the coronary arteries.
Surgical cut into the chest wall.