What surgical procedure involves division of the pec minor to access level 3 nodes?

The surgical procedure that involves the division of the pectoralis minor muscle to access level 3 lymph nodes is the Patey mastectomy. This procedure is performed primarily in cases of breast cancer and is characterized by the removal of the breast tissue along with axillary lymph nodes, specifically targeting the nodes located at level 3, which are harder to access without this division.

In the context of breast anatomy and surgery, level 3 nodes are situated beneath the pectoralis minor muscle, making it necessary to divide this muscle to ensure adequate exposure and thorough dissection of all potential areas affected by metastatic disease. The Patey mastectomy is thus a more extensive approach than other types of mastectomies, which may not require this muscle division for their respective lymph node harvests or tumor removal.

Other surgeries such as modified radical mastectomy, radical mastectomy, and simple mastectomy do not typically involve the division of the pectoralis minor specifically to access level 3 nodes, focusing instead on different levels of lymph nodes or differing extents of breast tissue removal.