Thoracic Surgery

Thoracic surgery refers to operations on the chest organs, such as the lungs, esophagus, and diaphragm. Performed by the thoracic surgery team at Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Cardiovascular Institute, these procedures are used to expertly treat a variety of thoracic conditions. Our specialists and thoracic surgeons provide comprehensive care for lung cancer, disorders of the esophagus, mediastinum, mesothelioma, and more.

Thoracic treatments

There are a variety of options available to treat thoracic conditions such as lung cancer, esophagus disorders, mediastinum, and mesothelioma, including cancer and reflux.

POEM and endoluminal for esophageal disorders

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is an endoscopic therapy for achalasia. Endoluminal vacuum therapy is a minimally invasive therapy used on patients with esophageal perforations.

Robotic thymectomy for thymoma and myasthenia

A robotic thymectomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that is performed to remove the thymus by making three small incisions on one side of the patient’s chest.

Hyperhidrosis

Your physician can address abnormally excessive sweating through a surgical procedure in which a portion of the sympathetic nerve in the trunk in the thoracic region is transected.

Esophagectomy

Your physician removes a diseased, or cancerous, section of your esophagus. Then they use part of your stomach or intestine to reconstruct the esophagus.

Laparoscopic and robotic Nissen fundoplication

During this treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), your physician wraps part of your stomach around the bottom of the esophagus. The resulting pressure stops food and liquids from backing up into your esophagus.

Hiatal hernia repair

Your physician uses minimally invasive procedures, including laparoscopic and robotic, to place bulging stomach tissue back into the abdominal cavity.

Lung cancer surgery

Lung cancer surgery may be an option for some patients, depending on the type, location, and stage of the lung cancer, and other medical conditions. Lung cancer surgery is used to remove the portions of the lung that ha