Many are interested in what the thoracic department is. In fact, everything is simple here. In this department, operations are performed on the chest. Based on this, it becomes clear what thoracic surgeons do. They treat diseases of the organs that are located in the chest. As you know, much changes over time. Previously, these doctors operated on all organs located in the chest, but later surgery of the heart, esophagus, blood vessels, and mammary gland disconnected from this vast specialty.
That is the case today. It is not surprising that such a separation occurred, because before all surgical interventions were performed by the open method, and this is certainly more complicated than endoscopic operations. It was much more difficult for doctors to perform the necessary manipulations. But in the department of thoracic surgery every day new patients arrived. In this situation, a narrower specialization and constant operations on a single organ allowed the doctor to become an expert in his field. Currently, when a thoracoscope is actively used in surgery, most open interventions have sunk into oblivion. Now
endoscopic surgery is performed
. The technique of their implementation has become much simpler, complications in patients rarely develop, therefore, the prerequisites for the reverse combination of specialties arose.
Lung surgery
Surgical thoracic department is never empty. There are always a lot of patients. The leading position in the frequency of thoracic surgery are lung operations. The most common painful processes in which intervention is necessary are tuberculosis (approximately 80-85% of cases), a malignant tumor of the lung, suppurative ailments (bronchiectasis, abscesses, etc.), as well as cysts.
Solving problems with the esophagus
Esophagus surgery is a very common type of intervention. Surgery is required for cicatricial narrowing, burns, cysts, injuries and benign tumors of this organ. Surgery is also necessary if a foreign object enters the respiratory organs. In addition, operations are carried out with esophageal-tracheal fistulas, cancer of the thoracic region of this organ, cardiac achalasia, diverticula, varicose veins.
Mediastinum is a very problem area
Many, unfortunately, are not yet aware of what thoracic surgery is. But you need to know this. This is a surgery of organs located in the chest. Mediastinal ailments, which require the help of a thoracic surgeon, are neoplasms, chylothorax, stenosis of the bronchi, as well as trachea, chronic and acute mediastinitis. These diseases should be taken seriously. It's no secret that surgical interventions on the mediastinum are very difficult. Patients are also difficult to tolerate such operations. After such surgical interventions, they have many complications. Therefore, there are some contraindications for such operations: age over 60-65 years, decompensation of cardiac activity, tuberculosis, neoplasm metastases, hypertension, pulmonary emphysema , etc.
Getting rid of chest diseases
As for other pathological processes in this area, the doctor often encounters injuries of a different nature, neoplasms, perichondritis, inflammatory-purulent tissue lesions. Not too often there are funnel-shaped and keeled breasts, osteomyelitis of bones (for example, shoulder blades and ribs). Patients with such diseases enter the thoracic department relatively rarely.
Pathology of the pericardium and pleura
Surgical interventions on the pericardium and pleura in medical practice are carried out much more often than on the mediastinum, as well as the chest wall. When is surgery necessary? In chronic and acute empyema of the pleura, injuries, benign neoplasms, diverticula and pericardial cysts.
Diaphragm diseases requiring surgical intervention
Diaphragm surgery is rarely practiced. Ailments that require surgery are tumors, relaxation and injuries of the diaphragm, as well as cysts and hernias of various origins. If you have these diseases, you should immediately contact the thoracic department. The sooner the operation is performed, the better. Many are afraid of surgery and put it off indefinitely, and the disease progresses. As a result, the person is getting worse, pains are bothering them more often, and it would be much better to see a doctor on time. In such a situation, you need to try to defeat your fear and still go to the surgeon. It should be understood that there is simply no other way out of this situation. Do not fool yourself and put off making decisions in the long run.