Thoracic Surgery
Leaders in Conditions of the Lung and Esophagus
The thoracic surgery team at Stanford Health Care – ValleyCare has deep experience in treating conditions of the lung, mediastinum, and esophagus—including cancers. Our specialists use advanced diagnostic technologies and techniques to rapidly assess your condition. Our team will recommend a personalized treatment plan that matches your needs and offers the greatest chance of cure.
What We Offer You for Esophagus and Lung Care
- Specialized expertise in treating all conditions of the lungs, esophagus, and mediastinum. Go to Conditions Treated
- Advanced treatment options including robotic and video-assisted surgeries, radiofrequency ablation, as well as internal and external radiation therapies. Go to Treatments
- Team-based approach to treatment planning and delivery for thorough, advanced diagnosis and personalized care, including therapy to relieve symptoms. Go to Your Care Team
- Access to clinical trials that can offer you earlier access to new developments in treatment. Go to Clinical Trials
- Comprehensive support services to help you and your family focus on health and healing. Go to Support Services
- Ease of access to care and participation with most major insurers. Go to Accessing Care
At Stanford Health Care – ValleyCare thoracic surgery, our lung, thymic, esophageal, and chest wall cancer specialists use state-of the-art diagnostics to rapidly assess your cancer. With new knowledge about the genetic makeup of tumor types, our team provides a personalized treatment plan that matches your needs and condition. Our doctors offer procedures that require extensive experience and training, some of which are offered at only a handful of medical centers in the country.
Esophagus
Chest
Diaphragm
Lung
Mediastinum
Trachea
Esophagus
- Achalasia: This is a digestive disorder caused by the esophagus not sufficiently pushing food or liquid into the stomach.
- Barrett’s esophagus: This precancerous condition is characterized by changes in the cells lining the esophagus which raises the risk of developing adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. It is associated with long-term irritation from acid reflux, commonly in patients with a long history of heartburn.
- Benign esophageal tumors and cysts: These include achalasia, Barrett's esophagus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and paraesophageal hernias.
- Esophageal and gastroesophageal (GE) junction cancer: With this disease cancerous cells form in the tissues of the esophagus.
- Esophageal diverticulum
- Esophageal perforation
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): This digestive disorder is caused by gastric acid flowing from the stomach into the esophagus.
- Paraesophageal and hiatal hernia
Chest wall
- Chest wall tumors
- Chest wall hernias: This is a condition in which part of the stomach is found in the chest.
- Pectus excavatum
- Sternoclavicular joint disorders
Diaphragm
- Diaphragmatic paralysis and eventration
- Diaphragmatic hernias (Morgagni, Bochdalek)
Lung and pleura
- Emphysema
- Large-cell neuroendocrine cancer: This is a rare form of neuroendocrine lung cancer. The cancer looks and acts like small cell lung cancer (SCLC), except that the cancerous cells themselves are larger, and it is treated in much the same way as SCLC.
- Lung cancer: This cancer that usually starts in the lining of lungs but can also begin in other areas of the respiratory system.
- Lung metastasis
- Malignant or recurrent pleural effusion
- Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM): This is a rare and aggressive form of cancer that originates in the pleura within the chest cavity.
- Mesothelioma: This rare form of chest cancer is often caused by exposure to asbestos and usually forms in the mesothelial cells that line the lungs and the chest wall.
- Pulmonary nodules
- Pulmonary sequestration
- Pulmonary infection and empyema
- Spontaneous pneumothorax
Mediastinum (area between the lungs)
- Hyperhidrosis: This condition causes excessive sweating that commonly involves one or several parts of the body, including the hands, feet, underarms, or, less often, the face.
- Myasthenia gravis: This chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease is characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body.
- Mediastinal cysts
- Mediastinal tumors (thymomas, germ cell tumors, nerve sheath tumors): These benign and malignant (cancerous) tumors are found in the mediastinum, an area of the chest that separates the lungs.
- Mediastinitis
- Pericardial effusion or tamponade
- Refractory tachyarrhythmias
Trachea (windpipe)
- Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM)
- Tracheal stenosis
Esophagus
- Achalasia: This is a digestive disorder caused by the esophagus not sufficiently pushing food or liquid into the stomach.
- Barrett’s esophagus: This precancerous condition is characterized by changes in the cells lining the esophagus which raises the risk of developing adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. It is associated with long-term irritation from acid reflux, commonly in patients with a long history of heartburn.
- Benign esophageal tumors and cysts: These include achalasia, Barrett's esophagus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and paraesophageal hernias.
- Esophageal and gastroesophageal (GE) junction cancer: With this disease cancerous cells form in the tissues of the esophagus.
- Esophageal diverticulum
- Esophageal perforation
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): This digestive disorder is caused by gastric acid flowing from the stomach into the esophagus.
- Paraesophageal and hiatal hernia
close Esophagus
Chest wall
- Chest wall tumors
- Chest wall hernias: This is a condition in which part of the stomach is found in the chest.
- Pectus excavatum
- Sternoclavicular joint disorders
close Chest
Diaphragm
- Diaphragmatic paralysis and eventration
- Diaphragmatic hernias (Morgagni, Bochdalek)
close Diaphragm
Lung and pleura
- Emphysema
- Large-cell neuroendocrine cancer: This is a rare form of neuroendocrine lung cancer. The cancer looks and acts like small cell lung cancer (SCLC), except that the cancerous cells themselves are larger, and it is treated in much the same way as SCLC.
- Lung cancer: This cancer that usually starts in the lining of lungs but can also begin in other areas of the respiratory system.
- Lung metastasis
- Malignant or recurrent pleural effusion
- Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM): This is a rare and aggressive form of cancer that originates in the pleura within the chest cavity.
- Mesothelioma: This rare form of chest cancer is often caused by exposure to asbestos and usually forms in the mesothelial cells that line the lungs and the chest wall.
- Pulmonary nodules
- Pulmonary sequestration
- Pulmonary infection and empyema
- Spontaneous pneumothorax
close Lung
Mediastinum (area between the lungs)
- Hyperhidrosis: This condition causes excessive sweating that commonly involves one or several parts of the body, including the hands, feet, underarms, or, less often, the face.
- Myasthenia gravis: This chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease is characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body.
- Mediastinal cysts
- Mediastinal tumors (thymomas, germ cell tumors, nerve sheath tumors): These benign and malignant (cancerous) tumors are found in the mediastinum, an area of the chest that separates the lungs.
- Mediastinitis
- Pericardial effusion or tamponade
- Refractory tachyarrhythmias
close Mediastinum
Trachea (windpipe)
- Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM)
- Tracheal stenosis
close Trachea
Lung cancer and other thoracic cancers require expert care. At Stanford Health Care – ValleyCare thoracic surgery, our multispecialty team of lung and thoracic cancer specialists has been at the forefront of performing lung-sparing surgeries, inventing radiation therapy techniques, and leading clinical trials resulting in new treatment paradigms.
Surgery may be the only treatment, or in some cases part of the treatment, for early-stage lung cancers. Treatment for thoracic cancer may include one or more of the following:
Esophageal Surgeries
- Esophagectomy: The surgical removal of the lower two-thirds or nearly the entirety of the esophagus, along with the uppermost part of the stomach, and all of the surrounding lymph nodes
- Ivor Lewis esophagectomy: Surgical removal of the esophageal tumor through an abdominal incision and a right thoracotomy
- Minimally invasive esophagectomy: Surgical removal of the esophageal tumor through small abdominal incisions and small incisions in the right chest (thoracoscopy)
- Three-incision esophagectomy: Surgical removal of the esophageal tumor through an abdominal incision, right thoracotomy, and left neck incision
- Transhiatal esophagectomy: Surgical removal of the esophageal tumor through abdominal incision, without thoracotomy, and a left neck incision
Lung Surgeries
- Bronchial stenting: Stents are used to open up airways and make breathing easier
- Lobectomy: This procedure involves the anatomic removal of a complete lobe of the lung (there are three lobes in the right lung and two in the left lung). This is the most common operation and has very low complication and mortality rates
- Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS): This is a surgical treatment for emphysema that could dramatically improve symptoms and, in many cases, increase longevity
- Pneumonectomy: This surgery involves a complete removal of the lung on one side. Although sometimes required, one would like to avoid this if a complete removal of the cancer can be performed without pneumonectomy
- Pulmonary metastasectomy: Patients with metastatic tumors that spread to the lung from other sites can still have a chance to be cured by surgical removal of these tumors, often when combined with chemotherapy
- Sleeve lobectomy: This surgery removes a complete lobe of the lung, as well as part of the airway that conducts air to the remaining lobe. After the removal of the lobe and part of the airway, the remaining lobe is reconnected to the airway
- Segmentectomy: This involves the surgical removal of a portion of the lobe and is often used for small tumors or in patients with severe lung disease
Your Care Team
The Stanford Health Care – ValleyCare Thoracic Surgery Program delivers superior care and outcomes. A broad team of specialists collaborates to confirm the smallest details of your condition and make recommendations for your care and recovery.
Your Doctors
Thoracic Surgeons
Thoracic surgeons treat conditions of the chest, including the esophagus, lungs, and mediastinum.
View All Thoracic Surgeons »Stanford is an Academic Medical Center, which is a type of hospital setting where doctors teach the entire spectrum of medical education. Students range from beginning medical students to fully licensed and practicing doctors completing advanced subspecialty training. Stanford Medicine is a partnership between Stanford University School of Medicine and Stanford Health Care. Since Stanford is a teaching hospital, you can expect to meet many providers and providers in training:
- Attending physician: a doctor who supervises doctors in training or in medical school
- Fellow: a doctor doing postgraduate level work and specializing in care of patients with specific conditions
- Resident: a doctor who has graduated from medical school and is in training (also called “residency”) here at Stanford. A resident is also called an intern.
- Medical student: a student who is currently enrolled in medical school with the goal of becoming a doctor
Extended Care Team
Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)
This health care provider works in collaboration with your medical oncologist to help care for you during your treatment and follow-up. An APP can be a physician assistant (PA) or a nurse practitioner (NP). A nurse practitioner is an advanced practice nurse who has completed graduate education and is trained to do physical exams, diagnose, prescribe, and treat medical conditions. Our APPs can help manage your side effects and help carry out your treatment plan safely. You may alternate visits between your APP and oncologist.
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Support Services
We help with the details so you can focus on your health and wellness. We offer a range of patient services and helpful information to coordinate the various aspects of your care:
You can receive caring, personalized attention for neurological disorders close to home, backed by the expertise of some of the nation’s leading experts in brain, spine, and nervous system problems.