Chest wall resection in general thoracic surgery.

To clarify the incidence, indications, and efficacy of chest wall resection, a comprehensive review is needed. Chest wall resection was performed in 23 of 162 operations for thoracic disease over a nine-year period. Eight surgeries requiring chest wall resection for benign disease (8/79) were classified as fenestration or thoracoplasty for empyema, or resection of a benign neoplasm.