Chest Surgery

The chest (also known as the thoracic cavity) contains the heart, two lungs, multiple lymph nodes, the thymus gland, and the esophagus. Heart surgery is performed by a cardiac surgeon, whereas surgery on the other organs is usually done by a thoracic surgeon. There are a number of different ways to approach the chest contents. The most common technique is an incision between the ribs (called a thoracotomy), but several small incisions can often be used instead to introduce thorascopic instruments including a telescopic camera. In addition, chest structures are sometimes best accessed through the sternal bone (mediasternotomy), which is the same approach used for open heart surgery.

Related Topics on the chest:

Lung Cancer
Non-Cancerous Lung Lesions
Esophageal Abnormalities