Thoracotomy Incisions

Abstract

Almost as many different thoracotomy incisions have been described as the number of esophageal repairs that have been proposed. For much of the history of EA repair, the only question in making these incisions was how to obtain the best exposure without considering the functional or cosmetic consequences. While exposure is of major importance, more recently, much more consideration has been given to the incisions themselves as the longer-term consequences have become more apparent. The purpose of this chapter, therefore, is to present the principles behind incisions that will provide very adequate exposure while minimizing the late consequences. With these principles in mind, we will present in more detail the incisional approaches which fulfill these criteria best.