The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

What is a Cardiothoracic Surgeon?

A thoracic surgeon is a medical doctor who performs operations on the heart, lungs, esophagus, and other organs in the chest.

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Aortic Dissection

Although aortic dissection is relatively uncommon, it is the most frequent emergency related to the human aorta.

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How the STS National Database Has Improved Your Patient Care

The STS National Database was established as a tool to improve the quality of care for heart and lung surgery patients.

Read the blog from Dr. Fred L. Grover

Coronary Artery Disease

Did you know that coronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease?

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Robotic Surgery

Robotic Operations in Thoracic Surgery: Who Are the Candidates?

Read the blog from Dr. Linda W. Martin

Locate STS Surgeons

STS believes the public has a right to know the quality of surgical outcomes.

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STS Public Reporting Online

STS believes the public has a right to know the quality of surgical outcomes.

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Our Mission

Founded in 1964, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 7,300 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. Learn more at

Associated Groups:

CTSurgeryPatients.org

Activity

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 22

Why do people with obesity incur higher medical costs after heart surgery?

People with obesity incur higher medical costs after heart surgery because obese people tend to require additional intensive care unit (ICU) services and longer recovery times when compared to non-obese people who have heart surgery. This results in more expensive, more labor-intensive care. The...
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 22

What challenges do people with obesity experience after heart surgery?

After heart surgery people with obesity experience longer overall hospital lengths of stay and discharges with home care, according to a study published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery. The researchers also learned that following heart surgery, people with higher levels of obesity were four times
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 09

Can a person who was a heavy smoker be a lung donor?

Lungs from carefully selected donors with a heavy smoking history can be used with good results in adult, double-lung transplants, according to a study released at the 49th Annual Meeting of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Transplants from heavy smokers composed 13% (766) of the double-lung tra...
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 09

What causes hospital readmission following AVR surgery?

Close follow-up can reduce complications and hospital readmission following aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgery. While a study found that the causes of readmission were multiple, the three most common causes were heart failure, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and postoperative complications,...
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 09

Why is it better to self-manage blood thinners after heart valve surgery?

Self-management of blood thinners after heart valve surgery may reduce the risk of major complications for several reasons. People who self-manage treatment have better outcomes because they receive more detailed information about oral anticoagulation therapy. They also learn more about the influen
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 09

What are the benefits of lung resection for people with lung cancer?

Surgical lung resection, in which part of a lung is removed, can be a safe and effective treatment option for high-risk patients with early stage lung cancer. At three years’ post-surgery, researchers found that 59% of high-risk patients were still alive, and 76% of standard-risk patients had surviv
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 09

Which coronary artery disease treatment is better?

Determining optimal treatment for coronary artery disease is complicated by evolving technology, differing result interpretations, and variable study designs. While survival is an important consideration, other nonfatal outcomes should be also be considered. A heart team that includes a cardiac s...
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 02

Are antibiotics safe for people with heart problems before dental work?

Prophylactic antibiotics have routinely been prescribed for people undergoing dental work who also had existing heart problems because it had been accepted that there is a link between dental bacteremia (the presence of bacteria in the blood) and endocarditis (an inflammation of the inner layer of..
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 02

Can I get lung cancer from drinking alcohol?

Although there is a clear link between alcohol consumption and cancer of the throat and esophagus, there is no proven link between alcohol consumption and lung cancer. However, the combination of smoking and heavy alcohol consumption greatly increases the risk for throat and esophageal cancer.
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 02

How is lung cancer treated?

There are three different treatments commonly used for lung cancer: surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Surgery and radiotherapy are "local" therapies, which are therapies directed at disease that is visible to the doctors on an x-ray or CT scan. Chemotherapy is a "systemic&
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 02

Are there long-term complications for children with heart transplants?

The main factors limiting long-term survival among children who have undergone heart transplant are graft vasculopathy and renal (kidney) complications. Graft vasculopathy is an accelerated form of coronary artery disease (CAD) in which artery walls progressively thicken due to plaque buildup. Repea
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Aug 02

Which type of AVR procedure works best for very elderly people?

In a September 2015 study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery researchers found that transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a safe and effective way to treat aortic stenosis in nonagenarians who qualify for the surgical technique. The researchers used two different approaches for..
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Jun 29

Can three-dimensional (3D) printing create body parts with living tissue?

Researchers have used a custom-designed three-dimensional (3D) printer that had been modified by engineers to enable printing of living cells. The printer produces a biodegradable structure (scaffold) that can be combined with living cells to create a tracheal segment. The size and shape of the s...
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Jun 28

How safe is aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgery?

Fewer people undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) are being rehospitalized in the year following surgery, indicating the surgery is safer and the recovery has become easier. Aortic valve disease is common among older people and frequently requires valve replacement. Previous research has shown
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered
On Jun 28

How do survival rates affect treatment for older people with lung cancer?

Information about people with lung cancer from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) General Thoracic Surgery Database and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) found that adults age 65 years and older who have lung cancer live longer after being treated with surgery. Since older a
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

What is a Cardiothoracic Surgeon?

Aortic Dissection

How the STS National Database Has Improved Your Patient Care

Coronary Artery Disease

Robotic Surgery

Our Mission

Associated Groups:

Online:

Links:

Associated Groups

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons's contact info

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