HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Yvonne M. Carter Permission Requests Google Scholar Articles by Marshall, M. B. Articles by Carter, Y. M. PubMed Articles by Marshall, M. B. Articles by Carter, Y. M. Related Collections Chest wall

---

How To Do It

Modified French Window as an Alternative to Thoracotomy for Complex Intrathoracic Pathology

Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC

Accepted for publication November 26, 2008.

^_* Address correspondence to Dr Marshall, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, 4 PHC, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3800 Reservoir Rd, NW, Washington, DC 20007 (Email: mbm5{at}gunet.georgetown.edu).

Video-assisted thoracic surgery is associated with less pain and shorter recovery than open procedures. Due to limited exposure, video-assisted thoracic surgery is not suitable for the management of all intrathoracic pathology. Muscle-sparing thoracotomies are smaller, but they are not associated with less pain or faster recovery. A modified French window is a useful approach to complex intrathoracic pathology and may result in less postoperative pain and shorter recovery than standard and muscle-sparring thoracotomies. This technique is suitable for the management of complex intrathoracic disease.