Thoracic surgery is the repair of organs located in the thorax,
or chest. The thoracic cavity lies between the Thoracic surgery
repairs diseased or injured organs and tissues in the thoracic
cavity. General thoracic surgery deals specifically with
disorders of the lungs and esophagus. Cardiothoracic surgery
also encompasses disorders of the heart and pericardium. Blunt
chest trauma, reflux esophagitis, esophageal cancer, lung
transplantation, lung cancer, and emphysema are just a few of
the many clinical indications for thoracic surgery. Patients who
have blood-clotting problems (coagulopathies), and who have had
previous standard thoracic surgery may not be good candidates
for video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Because VATS
requires the collapse of one lung, potential patients should
have adequate respiratory function to maintain oxygenation
during the procedure. Thoracic surgery is usually performed by a
surgeon who specializes in either general thoracic surgery or
cardiothoracic surgery. The patient i