The instrument then is passed down into the chest, allowing the doctor to observe all the contents of the mediastinum and to obtain specimens for diagnostic tests if necessary. Thoracotomy Thoracotomy is an operation in which the chest wall is opened to view the internal organs, to obtain samples of tissue for laboratory examination, and to treat diseases of the lungs, heart, or major arteries. Although thoracotomy is the most accurate means of assessing lung diseases, it's a major operation and therefore is used less often than other diagnostic techniques. Thoracotomy is used when procedures such as thoracentesis, bronchoscopy, or mediastinoscopy fail to provide adequate information. The lung problem is identified in more than 90 percent of people who undergo this operation because the sample site can be seen and selected and because large tissue samples can be taken.
Thoracotomy requires general anesthesia in an operating room.
An incision is made in the chest wall, and tissue samples of the lung are removed for microscopic examination. If specimens are to be taken from areas in both lungs, the breastbone is often split. If necessary, a lung segment, a lung lobe, or an entire lung can be removed. A chest tube is inserted and left in place for 24 to 48 hours afterward. The patient usually stays in the hospital for several days.