any type of thoracotomy that does not involve significant division of the latissimus dorsi (muscle) and the serratus anterior (muscle).
mus·cle-spari·ng tho·ra·cot·o·my
(mŭs'ĕl-spār'ing thōr-ă-kot'ŏ-mē) Any type of thoracotomy that does not involve significant division of the latissimus dorsi muscle and the serratus anterior muscle