Word parts
What it means
An open chest operation, usually through an incision between the ribs on the side of the chest. It is done for lung surgery (such as removing a lobe for cancer), some heart, esophagus and blood vessel operations, and severe chest trauma. Chest tubes are usually left in afterward to drain air and fluid, and the incision is very painful.
For the nurse
Good pain control lets the client breathe deeply, cough and use the incentive spirometer, which prevents pneumonia and collapsed lung. Check the chest tube system, breath sounds and oxygen saturation, and help the client do arm and shoulder exercises on the operated side.
At a glance
| Also written | thoracotomies |
|---|
Related terms
pneumonia
An infection of one or both lungs in which the air sacs fill with fluid or pus.
thoracentesis
A procedure in which a needle is passed through the chest wall to remove fluid or air from the space around a lung.