MUSCLE-SPARING THORACOTOMY TECHNIQUE: SIX YEARS EXPERIENCE

Nezihi Küçükarslan, Bilgehan Savaş Öz, Ertuğrul Özal, Vedat Yıldırım, Mehmet Ali Şahin, Harun Tatar

GATA Askeri Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi, Kalp Damar Cerrahisi Kliniği, Ankara

Background: Muscle sparing thoracotomy can be used in all ages, especially prefered in pediatric patients. In this study we reviewed the results and complications of muscle sparing thoracotomy operations in a six years period and discussed the superiority of this technique over the classical standard thoracotomy techniques.

Methods: Forty pediatric and adult patients, who were operated with muscle sparing thoracotomy since 1998, were chosen for this retrocpective study. There was no other selection criterion. The complications and cosmetic of wound recovery, postoperative pain, analgesic requirement, extubation time, intensive care and hospitalization periods were analysed. Results: We observed that in muscle sparing thoracotomy patients normal joint and muscle functions were regained in a shorter period of time (48 ± 7 hours) after the operation. The postoperative analgesic requirement was found in eight patients (20%), wound infection was none, prolonged air leakage in three patients (7.5%) and seroma, a complication effecting hospitalization period, in two patients (5%).

Conclusions:After the extubation the periods of regaining the normal respiratory functions and extremity motions were rather short. The surgical results of the technique was very esthetic.

Keywords : Muscle sparing, thoracotomy, cosmetic, pain, seroma

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