Thoracic Surgery

Few things are more important than your health & vitality. Our Thoracic Surgeons, Dr. Thomas Rembetski and Dr. Brian Juell, have over 50 years of experience with these procedures and are well regarded in the community for their work. 

What is Thoracic Surgery?

General thoracic procedures involve all the diagnostic and treatment procedures on the chest excluding the heart.  In this modern era, many of these procedures are done via a minimally invasive technique, such as a scope or even remotely with a robot.

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What Thoracic Procedures Do Our Surgeons Perform?

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Tumors or Lumps:  Lesions of the lung and the spaces between structures called the mediastinum can often be diagnosed and treated in a minimally invasive way.  Such masses include benign lung lumps, lung cancer, tumors of the mediastinum, which may be benign or malignant, and some congenital or inborn problems.  Success rates are comparable to traditional or “open” procedures, depending upon circumstances.

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Fluid in the Chest Cavity:  Fluid accumulating in the chest from such conditions as heart failure or infection can often be treated or cured with a scope without the necessity of more invasive procedures.

Air in the Chest Cavity:  Air can occur outside the lung from trauma or inborn defects which can cause lung compromise.  A variety of surgical techniques can resolve this problem.

Hiatal Hernia:  When the stomach moves into the chest because of displacement through the diaphragm, symptoms may occur such as heartburn or pain.  Hiatal hernias are often approached from the abdomen, but a thoracic approach can often be useful for its repair. For more information on Hiatal hernias, please click here.

Esophagus:  The food tube between the mouth and stomach can develop scars, tumors, and/or motility problems causing swallowing difficulties.  The thoracic approach often can resolve these underlying conditions.

Spine Problems:  Often, the chest can be opened in a minimal way to assist our neurosurgical or orthopedic spinal surgical colleagues for stabilization and repair of fractures, disc problems, or tumor removal. Dr. Rembestski works with many neurosurgeons in the region to assist with your surgery and improve your outcomes.