Thoracic surgeon

Thoracic surgery is a medical specialty that involves the surgical treatment of diseases affecting the organs inside the thorax (the chest), excluding the heart. This includes conditions of the lungs, chest wall, esophagus, and trachea. Often, this involves surgery for lung cancer and conditions such as pneumothorax. Thoracic surgeons may also deal with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hiatal hernias.

Education and Training

Becoming a thoracic surgeon requires extensive education and training. After obtaining a bachelor's degree, aspiring thoracic surgeons must complete four years of medical school to earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. This is followed by a five-year general surgery residency, during which they gain experience in various surgical procedures and patient care.

Following their general surgery residency, they must complete a two to three-year thoracic surgery fellowship. This fellowship provides specialized training in the diagnosis, treatment, and surgical procedures related to conditions and diseases of the thoracic cavity.

Procedures

Thoracic surgeons perform a variety of surgical procedures. These include lobectomy, in which a lobe of the lung is removed; pneumonectomy, the removal of an entire lung; and esophagectomy, the removal of part or all of the esophagus. They may also perform procedures to treat lung and esophageal cancer, as well as benign conditions such as achalasia.

Thoracic Surgery Subspecialties

There are several subspecialties within thoracic surgery. These include:

• Cardiothoracic surgery: This involves surgery of the heart and lungs. Cardiothoracic surgeons often treat conditions such as coronary artery disease and lung cancer.
• Pediatric thoracic surgery: This involves the treatment of thoracic conditions in children. Pediatric thoracic surgeons often treat conditions such as congenital lung malformations and pediatric cancer.
• Thoracic oncology: This involves the treatment of cancers within the thoracic cavity, including lung cancer and esophageal cancer.

See Also

• Cardiothoracic surgery
• General surgery
• Pediatric surgery
• Oncology