Thoracotomy
Surgical procedure / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A thoracotomy is a surgical procedure to gain access into the pleural space of the chest.[1] It is performed by surgeons (emergency physicians or paramedics under certain circumstances) to gain access to the thoracic organs, most commonly the heart, the lungs, or the esophagus, or for access to the thoracic aorta or the anterior spine (the latter may be necessary to access tumors in the spine). A thoracotomy is the first step in thoracic surgeries including lobectomy or pneumonectomy for lung cancer or to gain thoracic access in major trauma.
This article needs more reliable medical references for verification or relies too heavily on primary sources. (February 2022) |