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Thoracic surgery

Thoracic surgery focuses on procedures intended to treat organs like the lungs, esophagus and heart. It can include heart bypass surgeries, lung and heart transplants and other major and minor procedures.


Thoracic Surgeons in Middle Tennessee

From lung cancer to acid reflux, your chest health is our priority.

Our thoracic surgeons offer a variety of dedicated surgical treatments for your lungs, esophagus, trachea and the surrounding areas. Whether you require a lung replacement, removal of chest wall tumors or throat surgery, TriStar Medical Group's compassionate thoracic specialists can prevent life-threatening damage.

Related specialties

Learn more about our related specialties.

Thoracic conditions we treat

Our surgeons specialize in treating a range of conditions affecting the organs of the chest, including:

  • Chest wall tumors
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Emphysema
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Hiatal hernia
  • Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
  • Lung cancer
  • Myasthenia Gravis
  • Narrowing of the windpipe
  • Noncancerous thoracic diseases
  • Sunken chest
  • Thoracic outlet syndrome

Thoracic surgery services

If you are experiencing complications of the lungs, esophagus, trachea and other connected systems, our thoracic surgeons are here to work with you to find the best possible treatment plan for your unique condition.

What is thoracic surgery?

Connected to the practices of cardiovascular surgery, thoracic surgery addresses complications throughout the area of the chest wall. This can include conditions ranging from cancer to lung lesions, and can involve procedures including chest surgery and lung surgery.

No matter your condition, our surgeons work with you from day one, personalizing the proper treatment plan and collaborating with other relevant specialists to ensure the best possible outcome and recovery. This type of personalized planning also takes into account the use of minimally invasive surgical techniques. We use these practices whenever possible so that you can reap the benefits of less scarring, faster recovery and shorter hospital stays.

Types of thoracic procedures

From traditional open surgery to minimally invasive procedures, our thoracic surgeons possess the years of experience necessary to expertly address the myriad of issues that can arise in your chest cavity.

Thoracic procedures we perform include:

  • Esophagectomy
  • GERD surgery
  • Hernia repair
  • Lobectomy for lung cancer
  • Lung transplant
  • Pneumonectomy for full lung removal
  • Rib resection
  • Sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis
  • Thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis
  • Tumor removal

Cardiothoracic surgery in Middle Tennessee

At TriStar Medical Group, we treat many types of conditions affecting blood vessels in the heart and lungs. Whether you have a thoracic aneurysm or need an aortic root replacement, our surgical options can prevent life-threatening damage to the heart and other organs. Our cardiothoracic surgeons are experts in vascular and endovascular surgery and are able to work with you and your cardiologist to determine the best course of treatment for your condition.

What is cardiothoracic surgery?

Cardiothoracic surgery treats conditions in the heart, lungs and chest. Using this type of surgery, surgeons can open coronary arteries narrowed by fatty plaque buildup, repair weakened heart muscles or defects and correct heart rhythm problems, also known as heart arrhythmias.


Reasons you may need cardiothoracic surgery

You could require cardiothoracic surgery for any of the following reasons:

  • To confirm the diagnosis of a lung or chest disease
  • To remove a portion of the lung or the entire lung
  • To re-inflate lung tissue that has collapsed due to disease or trauma
  • To remove pus from the chest
  • To remove blood clots from the chest
  • Types of cardiothoracic procedures

Cardiothoracic surgeries performed

Our specialists in cardiac care perform a variety of cardiothoracic surgeries, including:

  • Ascending aorta replacement
  • Aortic arch debranching procedures
  • Aortic arch replacement
  • Complex thoracic lung surgery
  • Descending thoracic aortic replacement
  • Hybrid antegrade stent grafting of descending thoracic aorta
  • Innominate artery/proximal carotid/subclavian/axillary artery bypasses
  • Minimally invasive lung surgery
  • Thoracic endovascular aortic repair
  • Valve-sparing aortic root replacement
  • Vena cava/innominate vein reconstruction

Thoracotomy

A thoracotomy is an operation to open the chest wall. This surgery allows access to the lungs and surrounding structures. Depending on the disease location, an incision may be done on the right or left side of the chest. Sometimes, a small incision can be made in the front of the chest.

Wedge resection

A wedge resection is a surgical procedure during which the surgeon removes a small wedge-shaped portion of the lung containing the nodule or mass, along with healthy tissue that surrounds the area. The surgery is performed to establish a diagnosis. A wedge resection can be performed by minimally invasive video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) or a thoracotomy.

Lobectomy

A lobectomy is a type of thoracic surgery to remove one of the lobes of the lungs. The procedure may be performed when an abnormality has been detected in a specific part of the lung. When only the affected lobe of the lung is removed, the remaining healthy tissue is spared to maintain adequate lung function. A lobectomy is most often performed during a thoracotomy.

Pneumonectomy

This is an open-chest surgical procedure to remove an entire lung. A pneumonectomy is often performed if you have lung cancer that cannot be treated by removing a smaller portion of the lung.


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