Thoracic Surgery

For more information on thoracic surgery services, please call 617-562-7954.

The thoracic surgeons at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center are expert at diagnosing and surgically treating cancers of the lung, esophagus and chest wall.  Patients appreciate both the compassion and the skill with which these experienced physicians carry out the latest surgical and minimally invasive procedures.

State-of-the-art diagnostic techniques available at St. Elizabeth’s include:

• Virtual bronchoscopy, a non-invasive method used to detect lung obstructions

• Computed tomographic (CT)-guided coil localization, which provides a minimally invasive way to diagnose small or hard-to-detect lung abnormalities

Innovative treatments that promote faster recovery include:

• Laser techniques to open obstructed airways, and stenting techniques to keep airways open

• Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), which enables smaller incisions when performing biopsies or removing diseased lung tissue

• The use of a rigid optical tube called an “esophagoscope,” which allows precise removal of foreign bodies from the esophagus

• Fast-track removal of fluid around the lung, and minimally invasive control of fluids surrounding the heart

• Use of smaller indwelling catheters that enable chest fluid drainage on an outpatient basis and eliminate the need for repeat thoracentesis procedures

• Brachytherapy seed implantation for localized treatment of some cancers after surgery and other lung conditions

St. Elizabeth’s thoracic surgeons, all board-certified faculty members of the Tufts University School of Medicine, collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team of world-renowned cancer and lung specialists. All are dedicated to providing every patient with superior, personalized care.

These services are carried out in state-of-the-art facilities on St. Elizabeth’s conveniently located Boston campus.  Free valet parking for patients and inexpensive visitor parking are readily available.