Thoracic surgery

Thoracic Surgery, also known as Cardiothoracic Surgery when involving the heart, is a surgical specialty focused on the organs within the thorax—the chest cavity that houses the lungs, heart, esophagus, and trachea.

Overview

Thoracic surgeons manage surgical conditions of the chest, primarily involving the lungs and the mediastinum, but not typically those that concern the heart, which are within the purview of cardiac surgeons. Procedures often address diseases affecting the lungs, chest wall, diaphragm, and esophagus.

Conditions Treated

Thoracic surgeons treat a variety of conditions such as:

• Lung cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Mesothelioma
• Benign diseases and conditions of the lung, esophagus, and chest wall
• Trauma to the chest
• Pulmonary tuberculosis and other infectious diseases
• Congenital abnormalities of the chest and lungs

Surgical Procedures

Common thoracic surgical procedures include:

• Lobectomy or Pneumonectomy for lung cancer
• Esophagectomy for esophageal cancer
• Procedures to manage chest trauma
• Surgery for emphysema, such as lung volume reduction surgery

Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery

The field has seen significant advancements in minimally invasive techniques, such as:

• Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS): Using a video camera to visualize the inside of the chest on a video screen
• Robotic-assisted surgery, allowing for precise, minimally invasive procedures

Training and Certification

To become a thoracic surgeon, one must complete a general surgery residency followed by a thoracic surgery fellowship. In some regions, an integrated residency program combines both general and thoracic surgery training. Board certification is achieved through the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Research and Innovation

Research in thoracic surgery is robust, focusing on improving surgical outcomes, developing new surgical techniques, and advancing the understanding of thoracic diseases.

List of Thoracic Surgeons (USA)

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

US territories

• American Samoa
• Guam
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• District of Columbia

See Also

• Pulmonary medicine
• Respiratory system
• Cardiothoracic surgery
• Lung transplantation
• Esophageal surgery

Thoracic surgery Resources
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