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Cardiothoracic Surgery

Cardiothoracic surgery involves any operation of the chest or thoracic cavity, including surgery of the heart and lungs. Some surgeons specialize in cardiothoracic surgery, and some may specialize in certain types of cardiothoracic surgery, such as heart surgery or lung surgery.

  1. Conditions Treated

    • Doctors perform cardiothoracic surgery to treat heart conditions, problems with the coronary arteries, lung disease, problems with the esophagus, and diseases of the diaphragm. They perform cardiothoracic surgery to remove tumors from the chest cavity and to repair traumatic injuries to the chest.

    Preparation

    • Sometimes patients require emergency cardiothoracic surgery and have no time to prepare. When surgery is scheduled in advance, the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Department of Thoracic Surgery recommends that patients stop smoking at least two weeks before their surgery and do breathing,, and arm and leg exercises to prepare.

    Surgery

    • Surgeons perform cardiothoracic surgery in hospital operating rooms, and patients undergo general anesthesia for the procedure.

    Recovery

    • Recovery time after cardiothoracic surgery depends on the condition being treated. Some patients return home the same day they have surgery, while others recover in the hospital for a few days.

    Cardiothoracic Surgeons

    • Following medical school and surgical residency, cardiothoracic surgeons go on to receive additional training. According to the American Board of Medical Specialties, thoracic surgeons have six to eight years of training.

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