THORACOSTOMY Meaning and
Definition
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Thoracostomy is a medical procedure that involves creating a surgical opening into the chest wall to access the thoracic cavity. This intervention is typically performed to relieve pressure, drain fluids or air, or administer medications directly into the space surrounding the lungs and heart. It is commonly used in emergency situations to treat conditions such as tension pneumothorax, hemothorax, or pleural effusion.
During a thoracostomy, a healthcare professional inserts a hollow needle or a tube called a chest tube through the chest wall into the pleural space. The pleural space is the area between the parietal pleura (the membrane lining the inside of the chest wall) and the visceral pleura (the membrane surrounding the lungs). By accessing this space, the healthcare provider can evacuate accumulated fluid or air, equalize pressure, or collect samples for diagnostic purposes.
This procedure is usually performed under sterile conditions and with the patient under local or general anesthesia. The chest tube may be connected to a drainage system that allows the fluids or air to exit the chest cavity. Regular monitoring and treatment are necessary to prevent complications and ensure proper resolution of the underlying condition.
Thoracostomy is a valuable and potentially life-saving procedure that enables medical professionals to address respiratory distress caused by various conditions involving the chest cavity.
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The establishment of an opening into the cavity of the chest, as for the drainage of an empyema; or resection of a portion of a rib over a greatly hypertrophied heart.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for THORACOSTOMY
- rhoracostomy
- fhoracostomy
- ghoracostomy
- yhoracostomy
- 6horacostomy
- 5horacostomy
- tgoracostomy
- tboracostomy
- tnoracostomy
- tjoracostomy
- tuoracostomy
- tyoracostomy
- thiracostomy
- thkracostomy
- thlracostomy
- thpracostomy
- th0racostomy
- th9racostomy
- thoeacostomy
- thodacostomy
Etymology of THORACOSTOMY
The word "thoracostomy" has roots in Greek and Latin.
- The first part, "thoraco", comes from the Greek word "thorax", which means chest.
- The second part, "stomy", comes from the Greek word "stoma", which means mouth or opening.
Thus, "thoracostomy" can be broken down as "thorax" (chest) + "stomy" (opening), which together means an opening or incision into the chest.
