What is Thoracotomy?

A thoracotomy is a surgery to open the chest wall. The surgery allows access to the lungs, throat, aorta, heart, and diaphragm. Depending on the disease location, a thoracotomy may be done on the right or left side of the chest. Sometimes, a small thoracotomy can be done in the front part of the chest.

A thoracotomy may be done to:

• Confirm diagnosis of a lung or chest disease
• Repair the heart or the vessels of the lung and heart
• Treat trachea (wind-pipe) disorders
• Remove a portion of the lung or the entire lung
• Treat esophagus (throat) disorders
• Reinflate lung tissue that has collapsed due to disease or trauma
• Remove pus from the chest
• Remove blood clots from the chest

Possible Complications

If you are planning to have a thoracotomy, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Damage to the organs in the chest
• Persistent pain (only in a few cases)
• Reaction to anesthesia
• Collection of air or gases in the chest

Factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Major trauma involving multiple body parts
• Age
• Heavy smoker
• Previous stroke or heart attack
• Prior radiation therapy
• Chronic medical problems

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, call your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Difficulty breathing or cough
• New pain in the chest or persistent and severe pain in the area of surgery
• Stitches or...