A new application of a wound retractor for chest wall surgery.

Use of a wound retraction (WR) is useful for lung resection by video-assisted thoracic surgery via a mini-thoracotomy. We have employed a WR for chest wall surgery involving surgical rib fixation in a patient with rib fractures, and obtained successful results in terms of a good surgical view and lack of postoperative wound infection. On the basis of our experience, we consider that a WR is useful even for chest wall surgery.