[From the history of surgical instruments: 6. Sauerbruch's instruments for thoracic surgery]

The historical development of thoracic surgery, which was established in Germany in the years 1904/1905 and the armamentarium of the chest designed by Ferdinand Sauerbruch (1875-1951) are described. Sauerbruch designed between 1904 and 1920 many instruments to facilitate thoracic surgery, e.g. several rib retractors, a special rib shear for the first rib, a rib shear for all ribs other than the first. Furthermore he designed a special lung grasping forceps with rubber covered jaws, a lung compression forceps and a fenestrated lung retractor to facilitate lung resections.