What is the definition or description of: thoracotomy?

Open chest: This is a surgery which opend the thorax or chest rib cage commonindication lung or lymph node biopsy often envilves a latge inscion removal of a rib and spredin ribs to gain access to contents of thorax some less invasive approaches using thoracoscopes to provide light and acess through smaller holes have been developed.

It is an open : Procedure allowing access to the chest cavity, either right or left via a rib sparing approach or by taking a rib based on the reason or indication for the surgery with the need for a chest tube being placed postoperatively.