Thoracotomy is a surgical medical procedure that involves opening the chest cavity and can occur in different areas of the chest, in order to provide the most direct route to the affected organ and a sufficient width to allow a good surgical field, avoiding damage to the organs..
There are different types of thoracotomy, which must be performed depending on the organ accessed and the procedure to be performed, and can be used to analyze or remove injured organs or structures, control bleeding, treat a gas embolism, perform cardiac massage, among others.
There are 4 different types of thoracotomy, which are related to the area where the incision is made:
Complications that may occur after a thoracotomy include
In addition, in some cases, the area where the thoracotomy was performed can cause pain for a long time after surgery, in these cases, or if the person detects an abnormality in the recovery period, the doctor should be informed.