Cardiothoracic Surgery Flashcards
1
Q
During the median sternotomy, which structure would routinely require division?
A
Interclavicular ligament.
The pleural reflections are often encountered and should not be intentionally divided, if they are, then a chest drain will need to be inserted on the affected side as collections may then accumulate in the pleural cavity. Other structures encountered include the pectoralis major muscles, again if the incision is truly midline then these should not require formal division.
