title: Median sternotomy as an approach for pulmonary surgery.
abstract: A median sternotomy incision was employed in 73 cases of pulmonary surgery instead of posterolateral thoracotomy. An anterior mediastinal approach was used in three groups of patients: group 1 patients (47 cases) underwent simultaneous bilateral surgery for pulmonary disorders on both sides, in group 2 patients (15 cases), this approach was selected to facilitate surgery on the involved mediastinal structures, and group 3 patients (11 cases) had left lung cancer with extensive dissection of lymph nodes done via median sternotomy, as well as routine dissection of nodes by posterolateral thoracotomy. A median sternotomy approach for pulmonary surgery provided an excellent operative field, and most patients experienced less postoperative pain and a quicker recovery. The surgical indications for this approach, the surgical procedure, the results, and the advantages and disadvantages of using a median sternotomy incision are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichihashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwa
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000601:surgery*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000601:surgery; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000473:pathology; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery