Procedures Performed

Minimally Invasive Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (MIS or VATS)
Thoracoscopy or Micro-Thoracotomy

• Resection of lung cancers (lobectomy, wedge resection, segmentectomy, pneumonectomy)
• Biopsies of pleura, mediastinum, pericardium, chest wall
• Excision of esophageal, mediastinal, pericardial, bronchogenic cysts
• Thoracic sympathectomy
• Drainage and treatment of pleural and pericardial fluid
• Decortication
• Assist in surgical correction of spine disorders

Chest Wall (ribs, sternum, clavicles, muscle)

• Pectus excavatum and carinatum in adults
• Resection of chest wall tumors
• Reconstruction of traumatic injuries to the chest wall

Pleura (inner lining of chest wall and outer lung lining)

• Resection of pleural tumors
• Evaluation and biopsy of pleura
• Drainage and treatment of pleural fluid
  --Pleurodesis--mechanical and talc
  --Pleurx catheter insertion (home drainage management
• Decortication (removal of infection, release of trapped lung)

Pericardium (sac containing the heart)

• Pericardial window (evaluation, draining and biopsy of pericardial fluid)
  --Subxyphoid approach
  --Thoracoscopic approach
• Removal of pericardial cysts

Mediastinum (center of chest including great vessels, thymus, lymph nodes)

• Removal of thymus for myasthenia gravis
• Resection of thymic tumors
• Mediastinoscopy (videoscopic biopsy of lymph nodes and tumors)
• Removal of cysts
• Resection of neurogenic and germ cell tumors
• Resection of substernal thyroid masses

Lung

• Resection of lung cancers
  --Wedge resection, lobectomy, pneumonectomy
• Lung biopsy
• Resection of benign tumors
• Excision of giant bullae
• Treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax
• Bronchoscopy
• Excision and destruction of tumors blocking airways
• Biopsy of tumors
• Stent insertion in airways
• Removal of foreign bodies
• Tracheostomy (percutaneous and open)

Esophagus

• Laparoscopic repair of hiatal hernias
• Resection of esophageal tumors
• Resection of duplication cysts
• Esophagoscopy
  --Dilation and laser destruction of tumors
  --Removal of foreign bodies
  --Stent insertion for tumors blocking esophagus
• Myotomy

Venous Access for Chemotherapy

• Port-a-cath insertion
• Hickman catheter insertion