Thoracic surgery

Conditions that affect the thoracic area, or chest region, can be extremely complex. Thoracic conditions can encompass multiple organs, damage the lungs (cause lung cancer) or bring risks to your aorta, the heart’s largest artery.

At Aurora Health Care, we offer unparalleled expertise in both thoracic surgery and minimally invasive treatments. We offer video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS).

Doctors from all over the world come to us to learn about RATS and VATS. In fact, we’re one of only a handful of national case observation sites for robotic thoracic surgery.

We’re also one of the few hospitals in the nation to receive a 3-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) in all five procedure categories, including aortic valve replacement and aortic valve replacement plus coronary artery bypass grafting.

What is thoracic surgery?

Thoracic surgery is any operation that involves your chest, but it can also involve your heart, chest wall, esophagus, trachea and lungs. Thoracic surgeries can range from removing lung tumors due to lung cancer to repairing aneurysms in your chest wall.

Whenever possible, we use minimally invasive techniques such as video- and robotic-assisted surgery. These thoracic surgeries use smaller incisions for a faster recovery and less pain.

The most common thoracic surgeries include:

• Lobectomy: A procedure that removes a lobe of your lung. It’s often used as a treatment for early-stage lung cancer.
• Hiatal hernia surgery: A procedure that repairs the diaphragm to treat chronic acid reflux.
• VATS & RATS: Minimally invasive procedures that use videos and robotics.
• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG): An open-heart procedure that aims to restore blood flow to certain areas of your heart.

What are the key differences between VATS and RATS?

Robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) are two minimally invasive thoracic surgeries primarily used to treat lung cancer.

RATS involves using a robot to make small incisions (or ports). The robot is always under the control of a thoracic surgeon, and this surgery allows for precision and dexterity without requiring invasive thoracic surgery.

In VATS, a small tube (or thoracoscope) is inserted through a small incision in the ribs. The tube has a camera which allows the surgeon to see the entire chest cavity without having to make a major incision.

Deciding which of these thoracic surgeries is best for you depends on your specific condition. Our thoracic experts can walk you through each procedure and recommend the best thoracic surgery for you.

How long does it take to recover from thoracic surgery?

Recovery from thoracic surgery varies depending on the procedure. It could be anywhere from a couple of days if it was minimally invasive, to a couple of weeks if it was open surgery.

During your recovery, you’ll have access to the specialists you need. Our cardiovascular and thoracic team includes:

• Heart, vascular and thoracic surgeons
• Interventional cardiologists who provide minimally invasive treatments
• Intensive care doctors
• Cardiac rehabilitation experts including pulmonary rehab specialists
• Dieticians
• Endocrinologists who specialize in the system of glands and hormones
• Physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapists
• Pharmacists with expertise in caring for people after thoracic surgeries

What conditions benefit from thoracic surgery?

Thoracic conditions, also referred to as chest and lung conditions, include esophageal disorders along with a broad group of issues that affect the throat and esophagus, aorta (your body’s main artery), heart, lungs, ribs and other structures in your chest.

At Aurora, our team of skilled thoracic surgeons works closely with heart and vascular surgeons and cardiologists to provide exceptional treatment for heart, chest, lung and circulatory conditions.

Conditions we treat include:

• Achalasia, a condition that prevents the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus from relaxing
• Chest and lung conditions
• Esophageal cancer
• Hiatal hernia, which occurs when part of the stomach pushes upward through a weak spot in the diaphragm
• Hyperhidrosis, excessive sweating
• Lung cancer
• Mediastinal malignancies, tumors in the part of the chest that separates the lungs and chest wall tumors
• Myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that causes weakened muscles
• Pleural effusion, fluid next to the lungs
• Sarcoma, cancer of the soft tissue

Treating thoracic conditions

We offer coordinated and personalized care with your needs in mind

In addition to surgeries performed on the lung and esophagus, our thoracic surgeons perform unique procedures including rib plating and bronchial and tracheal stenting. Our team works collaboratively with radiation oncology for treatments, photodynamic therapy for lung cancer and brachytherapy, a specialized radiation oncology treatment.