• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 1995

Vertical axillary muscle sparing thoracotomy is newly appeared and excellent alternative method of standard posterolateral thoracotomy.It has many advantages compared to standard posterolateral thoracotomy , less postoperative pain, well preserved thoracic muscle strength, full range of motion of the shoulder girdle and attractive cosmetic results. We performed vertical axillary muscle sparing thoracotomy in 36 patients from November 1993 to July 1994. The ages of the patients ranged from 6 months to 71 years[mean 45.1 years , and the patients consisted of 20 males and 16 females.The preoperative diagnosis were as follows : lung cancer in 17 patients, tbc destroyed lung in 7, bronchiectasis in 3, bullous emphysema in 3 and the others are mediastinal tumor, bronchogenic cyst, lung abscess, empyema, esophageal diverticulum, and CCAM [congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation . The operative procedures were as follows : lobectomy and bilobectomy in 16 patients, segmentectomy in 4, wedge resection in 3, penumonectomy in 7, and the others were open biopsy, lobectomy with diaphragm excision, sleeve right upper lobectomy, decortication, mediastinal mass excision, and esophageal diverticulectomy. We had 6 complications : postoperative bleeding in 2 cases, operative wound infection, arrrhythmia[atrial fibrillation , Horner`s syndrome, hoarseness. The subcutaneous seroma occurred in 4 cases but did not require drainage and relieved within 4 weeks spontaneously. We concluded that vertical axillary muscle sparing thoracotomy could be done in most of all thoracic surgery with safety. Comparing to standard posterolateral thoracotomy vertical axillary muscle sparing thoracotomy has many advantages such as less postoperative pain, well preserved muscle strengths and good cosmetic results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1008-1014
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• 1994

Increased interest in alternative approach to thoractomy has developed because of the considerable morbidity associated with the standard posterolateral thoracotomy[ST]. Muscle sparing thoracotomy is appeared as excellent alternative because of less postoperative pain and morbidity than standard posterolateral one. Vertical axillary muscle sparing thoracotomy[VM] is the newly revised modified muscle sparing thoracotomy that overcomes the disadvantages of previous lateral muscle sparing thoracotomy such as seroma, cosmetic problems, and need of subcutaneous drains. We conducted a prospective study of 45 consecutive patients to compare postoperative pain, muscle strength of serratus anterior and latissimus dorsi, and range of motion of the shoulder girdle between ST and VM group. There were no difference in preoperative status, surgical procedure, morbidity, mortality and hospital stay between two groups. But there were significant less postoperative narcotics requirements, more preserved latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior muscle strength, nd larger range of motion of shoulder girdle [ especially flexion and internal rotation in VM group. The opening time was prolonged[p<0.01] but closing time was less in VM group [p<0.01]. The sum of opening and closing time was not different in two group. The length of incision line was shorter in VM group. The vertical skin incision was concealed by the upper arm.In conclusion vertical axillary muscle sparing thoracotomy is good alternative for various intrathoracic procedures with less postoperative pain, well preserved muscle strength,increased range of motion of the shoulder girdle and impressive cosmetic outcome.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1282-1285
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• 1992

Forty patients with spontaneous pneumothorax underwent vertical axillarty thoracotomy for surgical bullectomy of spontaneous pneumothorax between June, 1991 and september, 1992. We evaluated the method in terms of postoperative pain, wound complication, days of hospital stay and cosmetic result. It`s concludid that verical axillary thoracotomy provides satisfactory exposure for limited procedures within the thoracic cavity and offers the specific advantages of minimal and cosmetically acceptable results when compared with the thoracotomy methods.