Recognized Cancer Program

Our thoracic surgeons are members of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, which is ranked among the best in the nation by U.S.News & World Report. Surgeons work closely with thoracic oncologists and other specialists to diagnose and treat cancers of the lung, esophagus, pleura and thymus.

Care for Esophageal Conditions

We provide surgical treatments for esophageal disorders, including esophageal cancer and benign esophageal diseases. Our advanced techniques include:

• Esophageal cancer that is often treated by surgical removal. But we also perform simpler procedures to improve swallowing, such as laser therapy and stent placement.

• Surgery to treat achalasia that is often performed using minimally invasive techniques.

• When other treatments for Barrett's esophagus are not enough, our surgeons can remove the esophagus (esophagectomy), typically performed using minimally invasive techniques

Lung Disorder Treatments

In addition to lung cancer, our thoracic surgeons treat a variety of other lung conditions, including:

• Pulmonary nodules (small masses in the lungs): Because lung nodules could indicate evidence of lung cancer, they need to be accurately diagnosed and treated. After evaluation, our surgeons may perform minimally invasive surgery to treat the nodules.

• Pleural effusion (excess fluid around the lungs): We use a video-assisted thoracoscopic technique to perform pleurodesis or to insert small drainage catheters.

• Pneumothorax (collapsed lung): When a patient's lung collapses more than once, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is performed to prevent it from recurring.

Leaders in Lung Transplantation

UChicago Medicine has one of the leading lung transplant programs in the country. Our highly experienced team of thoracic surgeons, pulmonologists and anesthesiologists have cared for hundreds of lung transplant patients.

Lung Cancer Screening

When lung cancer is detected early, treatment can begin sooner, giving patients a higher chance of success. We use advanced tools and techniques to screen and monitor people at high risk of developing cancer. Low-dose CT scans are quick and painless diagnostic tests for detecting very small changes in the lungs that could indicate cancer. During fluorescence bronchoscopy, our pulmonologists use a thin, lighted tube to look for tiny tumors in the lungs.

Minimally Invasive Techniques

Our surgeons have long been leaders in minimally invasive surgery for thoracic conditions. Minimally invasive techniques, which include video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and robot-assisted procedures, reduce pain and scarring, shorten the length of hospital stay and decrease the time to return to normal activities. These benefits are why our surgeons use minimally invasive techniques for approximately 70 percent of major lung resection surgeries — a remarkable achievement over the nationwide average of 40 percent.