nursing care plan for thoracotomy

on the side, under the arm (axillary thoracotomy); on the front, through the breastbone (median sternotomy); slanting from the back to the side (posterolateral thoracotomy); or under the breast

Thor

Thoracotomy is the approach used and is not coded. Code for lobectomy, lung, complete, other is 32.49

Thoracotomy, or surgical incision of the chest wall, is used primarily as a diagnostic tool when other procedures have failed to provide adequate diagnostic information.