Thoracic Surgery
Thoracic surgery focuses on organs within the chest, including the chest wall, esophagus, diaphragm, heart and pericardium, lungs and pleura, and thymus. Thoracic surgeons treat both benign and cancerous conditions. They work closely with other physicians and treat patients with a wide range of surgical procedures, some minimally invasive.
Thoracic Surgery is also known as non-cardiac thoracic or general thoracic surgery. Thoracic surgeons specialize in non-cardiac diseases of the chest. Cardiothoracic surgery also involves cardiac pathology. Thoracic surgeons generally do not treat coronary artery disease, aneurysms of the aorta, or valvular heart disease.
Conditions Treated
Thoracic surgeons treat many conditions, including:
- Chest Wall
- Chest wall tumors
- Rib fractures
- Lung-intercostal hernias
- Esophagus and Diaphragm
- Diaphragm paralysis
- Esophageal cancer
- Esophageal diverticulum
- Esophageal strictures
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Diaphragmatic hernias
- Diaphragmatic tumors
- Hiatal/paraesophageal hernias
- Ulcers
- Heart and Pericardium
- Cardiac tumors (myxomas, aortic valve tumors)
- Pericardial effusions
- Lungs and Pleura
- Bronchogenic cysts
- Lung cancer and lung nodules
- Recurrent pleural effusions, empyema, and recurrent pneumothorax
- Mediastinum
Thoracic Services
Texas Oncology’s thoracic surgeons provide a variety of services for patients, including:
- Chest Wall
- Chest wall tumor resection
- Reconstruction of chest wall
- Rib platting for treatment of fractures
- Treatment of lung/intercostal hernias
- Esophagus and Diaphragm
- Diaphragmatic plication and treatment of diaphragm paralysis
- Esophageal diverticulum treatment
- Esophagectomy
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and dilation of esophageal strictures
- LINX system for GERD
- Repair of diaphragmatic hernias
- Resection of diaphragmatic tumors
- Robotic fundoplication for correction of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Robotic repair of hiatal/paraesophageal hernias
- Thoracoscopic truncal vagotomies
- Treatment of type IV paraesophageal hernias
- Heart and Pericardium
- Cardiac tumors (myxomas, aortic valve tumors)
- Mediport placement
- Minimally invasive epicardial pacing lead placement
- Treatment of pericardial effusions
- Lungs and Pleura
- Bronchogenic cyst treatment
- Bronchoscopy
- Indwelling pleural drainage catheter placement
- Minimally invasive thoracic surgery
- Robotic lung resection
- Transthoracic navigation for nodule localization
- Treatment of lung cancer and lung nodules
- Treatment of recurrent pleural effusions, empyema, and recurrent pneumothorax
- Uniportal thoracoscopic lobectomies and segmentectomies
- Mediastinum
- Minimally invasive thymectomy
- Robotic thymectomy
- Treatment of mediastinal tumors
- Video-assisted mediastinoscopy
- Other
Treatment
Treatment for thoracic conditions can involve a team of physicians and more than one type of treatment for most effective outcomes.
Clinical Trials
Our practices participate in national clinical trials, and our research played a pivotal role in developing more than 100 of the latest FDA-approved cancer drugs. This allows eligible patients more treatment options while aiding the development of new treatments for cancer. Clinical trials for thoracic surgery are available. A thoracic surgeon can determine if one is appropriate for you.
Other Resources