What is Thoracic Surgery? 

Thoracic surgery is a specialized field of surgery that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the chest area, including the lungs, esophagus, and diaphragm. It is a complex and intricate branch of surgery that requires a high degree of skill and expertise.  

In this article, we will delve into the world of thoracic surgery, exploring its history, common procedures, and potential complications. We will also discuss the qualifications and training required to become a thoracic surgeon, as well as the future outlook of this dynamic field.  

History of Thoracic Surgery  

Thoracic surgery has a rich and varied history dating back to the early 20th century. In 1913, a pioneering surgeon named Evarts Graham performed the first successful lung removal surgery in the United States. This groundbreaking procedure paved the way for many of the thoracic surgical techniques used today.  

Over the years, advancements in medical technology and surgical techniques have enabled thoracic surgeons to treat a wide range of conditions with greater precision and accuracy. Today, thoracic surgery is a well-established and rapidly evolving field that continues to push the boundaries of medical science.  

Common Thoracic Surgery Procedures  

Thoracic surgery encompasses a wide range of procedures, from minimally invasive surgeries to complex open surgeries. Some of the most common procedures include:  

Lobectomy  

Lobectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of a lobe of the lung. It is typically performed to treat lung cancer or other conditions affecting the lungs.  

Pneumonectomy  

Pneumonectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of an entire lung. It is typically performed to treat advanced lung cancer or other conditions that affect the entire lung.  

Thoracoscopy  

Thoracoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that involves the insertion of a small camera into the chest cavity to view the lungs and other organs. It is typically used to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the lungs, such as lung cancer, pleural effusion, and emphysema.  

Esophagectomy  

Esophagectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of the esophagus. It is typically performed to treat esophageal cancer or other conditions affecting the esophagus.  

Qualifications and Training for Thoracic Surgeons  

To become a thoracic surgeon, one must first complete medical school and a residency program in general surgery. After completing a general surgery residency, one must then complete a fellowship in thoracic surgery.  

During their fellowship, aspiring thoracic surgeons receive specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the chest area. They also gain extensive experience in performing thoracic surgeries, both minimally invasive and open.  

Potential Complications of Thoracic Surgery  

Like any surgical procedure, thoracic surgery carries a risk of complications. Some potential complications include:  

• Infection  
• Bleeding  
• Air leakage from the lungs  
• Blood clots  
• Nerve damage  
• Pneumonia  

However, with proper preoperative evaluation, careful surgical planning, and postoperative management, the risk of complications can be minimized.  

Top Thoracic Surgeon In Boston, MA  

1. Dr. Robert A. Smith, Thoracic Surgeon, Stanford Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305 

2. Dr. Michael D. Williams, Thoracic Surgeon, New York Presbyterian Hospital, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 

3. Dr. John K. Hall, Thoracic Surgeon, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195 

4. Dr. Richard J. Veltri, Thoracic Surgeon, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905 

5. Dr. Richard B. Goldberg, Thoracic Surgeon, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114 

6. Dr. Mark E. Desjardins, Thoracic Surgeon, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21287 

7. Dr. David B. Elliott, Thoracic Surgeon, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, 675 N. St. Clair St, Chicago, IL 60611 

8. Dr. Thomas E. Kiehn, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 

9. Dr. Jeffrey L. Port, Thoracic Surgeon, University of California San Francisco Medical Center, 505 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143 

10. Dr. Robert L. Smith, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 

11. Dr. Stephen B. Liggett, Thoracic Surgeon, Duke University Medical Center, 2301 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27710 

12. Dr. Steven J. Kelsen, Thoracic Surgeon, Vanderbilt Medical Center, 1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN 37232 

13. Dr. Michael F. Krebs, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Washington Medical Center, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195 

14. Dr. David A. Jones, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Colorado Hospital, 12605 E. 16th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045 

15. Dr. Peter M. Sava, Thoracic Surgeon, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, New York, NY 10065 

16. Dr. William K. Oh, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Wisconsin Medical Center, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792 

17. Dr. James R. Dey, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030 

18. Dr. Thomas H. Maren, Thoracic Surgeon, St. Luke's Hospital, 801 Ostrum Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015 

19. Dr. Mark G. Eisner, Thoracic Surgeon, Mount Sinai Hospital, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029 

20. Dr. Peter D. Slinger, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Toronto Medical Center, 200 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C4 

21. Dr. Jeffrey S. Coseo, Thoracic Surgeon, University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, 200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 

22. Dr. Stephen M. Parr, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Virginia Medical Center, 1215 Lee Street, Charlottesville, VA 22908 

23. Dr. Christopher J. Benton, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 

24. Dr. Peter A. Kaufman, Thoracic Surgeon, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 

25. Dr. Robert J. McKenna, Jr., Thoracic Surgeon, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048 

26. Dr. Barry S. Anscher, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 

27. Dr. Lawrence D. Kaiser, Thoracic Surgeon, Rush University Medical Center, 1653 West Congress Parkway, Chicago, IL 60612 

28. Dr. Michael J. B. O'Neill, Thoracic Surgeon, Mayo Clinic – Rochester, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905 

29. Dr. Randall S. Fong, Thoracic Surgeon, University of California San Diego Medical Center, 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103 

30. Dr. John E. Mayer, Jr., Thoracic Surgeon, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115 

31. Dr. Robert E. McKenna, Thoracic Surgeon, Stanford Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305 

32. Dr. Donald E. Low, Thoracic Surgeon, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8 

33. Dr. William D. Kelly, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 

34. Dr. Robert L. Jones, Thoracic Surgeon, New York Presbyterian Hospital, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 

35. Dr. John M. Abel, Thoracic Surgeon, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195 

36. Dr. Lee L. Smith, Thoracic Surgeon, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905 

37. Dr. William F. D'Alessandro, Thoracic Surgeon, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114 

38. Dr. Robert D. Dickson, Thoracic Surgeon, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21287 

39. Dr. Richard G. Feldman, Thoracic Surgeon, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, 675 N. St. Clair St, Chicago, IL 60611 

40. Dr. Joseph F. Salatin, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 

41. Dr. Robert L. Fitzgibbons, Thoracic Surgeon, University of California San Francisco Medical Center, 505 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143 

42. Dr. Stephen M. Parr, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 

43. Dr. Mark L. Rosen, Thoracic Surgeon, Duke University Medical Center, 2301 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27710 

44. Dr. Stephen A. Krieger, Thoracic Surgeon, Vanderbilt Medical Center, 1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN 37232 

45. Dr. Kenneth L. Mattox, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Washington Medical Center, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195 

46. Dr. Mark D. Stoner, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Colorado Hospital, 12605 E. 16th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045 

47. Dr. David R. Jones, Thoracic Surgeon, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, New York, NY 10065 

48. Dr. John A. Kerns, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Wisconsin Medical Center, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792 

49. Dr. John A. Kerns, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030 

50. Dr. David W. Kline, Thoracic Surgeon, St. Luke's Hospital, 801 Ostrum Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015 

51. Dr. Timothy A. Whelan, Thoracic Surgeon, Mount Sinai Hospital, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029 

52. Dr. David W. Kline, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Toronto Medical Center, 200 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C4 

53. Dr. Mark E. Ginsburg, Thoracic Surgeon, University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, 200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 

54. Dr. Paul A. Krieger, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Virginia Medical Center, 1215 Lee Street, Charlottesville, VA 22908 

55. Dr. Thomas J. Kucharczuk, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 

56. Dr. Peter A. Kaufman, Thoracic Surgeon, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 

57. Dr. Jeffrey S. Coseo, Thoracic Surgeon, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048 

58. Dr. Charles D. Fraser, Jr., Thoracic Surgeon, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 

59. Dr. David E. Schoenfeld, Thoracic Surgeon, Rush University Medical Center, 1653 West Congress Parkway, Chicago, IL 60612 

60. Dr. John E. Mayer, Jr., Thoracic Surgeon, Mayo Clinic – Rochester, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905 

61. Dr. Michael J. B. O'Neill, Thoracic Surgeon, University of California San Diego Medical Center, 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103 

62. Dr. Charles G. Mull, Thoracic Surgeon, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115 

63. Dr. Robert C. McKenna, Thoracic Surgeon, Stanford Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305 

64. Dr. Robert E. McKenna, Thoracic Surgeon, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8 

65. Dr. John M. Abel, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 

66. Dr. Robert F. Smith, Thoracic Surgeon, New York Presbyterian Hospital, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 

67. Dr. David B. Elliott, Thoracic Surgeon, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195 

68. Dr. Richard B. Goldberg, Thoracic Surgeon, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905 

69. Dr. Kenneth B. Margolis, Thoracic Surgeon, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114 

70. Dr. Jeffrey L. Port, Thoracic Surgeon, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21287 

71. Dr. James R. Dey, Thoracic Surgeon, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, 675 N. St. Clair St, Chicago, IL 60611 

72. Dr. Randall S. Fong, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 

73. Dr. William K. Oh, Thoracic Surgeon, University of California San Francisco Medical Center, 505 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143 

74. Dr. Thomas H. Maren, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 

75. Dr. Timothy A. Whelan, Thoracic Surgeon, Duke University Medical Center, 2301 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27710 

76. Dr. Stephen A. Krieger, Thoracic Surgeon, Vanderbilt Medical Center, 1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN 37232 

77. Dr. Michael F. Krebs, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Washington Medical Center, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195 

78. Dr. Richard J. Veltri, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Colorado Hospital, 12605 E. 16th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045 

79. Dr. Robert L. Fitzgibbons, Thoracic Surgeon, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, New York, NY 10065 

80. Dr. Stephen B. Liggett, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Wisconsin Medical Center, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792 

81. Dr. Michael D. Williams, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030 

82. Dr. Mark G. Eisner, Thoracic Surgeon, St. Luke's Hospital, 801 Ostrum Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015 

83. Dr. Jeffrey S. Coseo, Thoracic Surgeon, Mount Sinai Hospital, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029 

84. Dr. Stephen M. Parr, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Toronto Medical Center, 200 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C4 

85. Dr. David R. Jones, Thoracic Surgeon, University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, 200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 

86. Dr. Robert L. Jones, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Virginia Medical Center, 1215 Lee Street, Charlottesville, VA 22908 

87. Dr. Mark D. Stoner, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 

88. Dr. Richard G. Feldman, Thoracic Surgeon, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 

89. Dr. Lee L. Smith, Thoracic Surgeon, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048 

90. Dr. Peter D. Slinger, Thoracic Surgeon, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 

91. Dr. John K. Hall, Thoracic Surgeon, Rush University Medical Center, 1653 West Congress Parkway, Chicago, IL 60612 

92. Dr. Mark E. Desjardins, Thoracic Surgeon, Mayo Clinic – Rochester, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905 

93. Dr. William D. Kelly, Thoracic Surgeon, University of California San Diego Medical Center, 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103 

94. Dr. Barry S. Anscher, Thoracic Surgeon, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115 

95. Dr. Donald E. Low, Thoracic Surgeon, Stanford Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305 

96. Dr. Robert A. Smith, Thoracic Surgeon, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8 

97. Dr. John E. Mayer, Jr., Thoracic Surgeon, New York Presbyterian Hospital, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 

98. Dr. William F. D'Alessandro, Thoracic Surgeon, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195 

99. Dr. Lawrence D. Kaiser, Thoracic Surgeon, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905 

100. Dr. Christopher J. Benton, Thoracic Surgeon, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114