APPROACH TO DISSECTION OF THE ANTERIOR THORACIC WALL AND THE ENTRANCETO THE THORACIC CAVITY

Dissection of the anterior chest wall typically precedes the opening o f the thoracic cavity. The techniques for exposing and subsequently re flecting or removing the structures of the anterior chest wall have be en well described. However, these approaches that involve the systemat ic dissection of the layers of tissue overlying the anterior thoracic wall prior to the removal of the anterior thoracic wall render the pec toral regions and axillas unfit for continued study. The authors offer an alternative dissection that allows continued access to the thoraci c cavity while maintaining the integrity of the pectoral and axillary regions. This new technique may facilitate more efficient use and comp lete study of each specimen. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.