Thoracotomy News and Research

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Smokers undergoing lung cancer surgery face higher complication risks

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine have found that patients who continue to smoke ahead of lung cancer surgery have a higher risk of pulmonary complications, but their short-term mortality rate is similar to patients who were able to stop smoking before surgery.

28 May 2026

Botulinum toxin injections could be a powerful tool for treating post-amputation pain

Botulinum toxin injections provided greater short-term relief for phantom limb pain than standard medical and surgical care among Ukrainian war amputees, reports a new study led by Northwestern Medicine and Ukrainian physicians.

21 Oct 2025

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery provides improved overall survival compared to open lobectomy

Patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) compared to open lobectomy had a significantly improved overall survival rate, according to a meta-analysis presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC).

8 Sep 2025

Age-related decline in cardiac conduction system regeneration increases arrhythmia risk after heart attack

Study uncovers the impact of myocardial infarction on the cardiac conduction system, revealing insights into arrhythmogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.

8 Jan 2025

Esophageal cancer surgery: Standard and keyhole incisions show similar outcomes

New research has found no evidence of a difference between recovery time and complications when comparing standard and keyhole surgical incisions for the treatment of esophageal cancer (cancer of the gullet).

26 Mar 2024

Minimally invasive mitral valve repair is as safe and effective as conventional surgery, trial shows

In the largest randomized trial conducted to compare minimally invasive and conventional cardiac surgical techniques for repairing a poorly functioning mitral valve, improvements in physical activity, as well as surgical outcomes and quality of life, were similar in both groups of patients at 12 weeks post-surgery.

5 Mar 2023

New long-term opioid use associated with a heightened risk of death, study finds

New long term use of opioids to quell pain after lung cancer surgery is linked to a 40% heightened risk of death from any cause within the next 2 years, finds research published online in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

13 Sep 2022

New technique can reliably identify patients most likely to suffer post-surgery pain

Patients who are most likely to suffer severe pain following an operation can be reliably identified using a new technique developed at the University of Birmingham.

5 Apr 2022

LCMC3 trial: Neoadjuvant atezolizumab prior to lung cancer surgery meets primary endpoint

(Primary analysis of the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium (LCMC) 3 study revealed that neoadjuvant atezolizumab prior to lung cancer surgery was well tolerated by patients and met its primary endpoint of 20% major pathologic response rate, according to research presented today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's World Conference on Lung Cancer.

31 Jan 2021

Current surgical risk scores overestimate risk in mini-AVR procedures

Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement surgery is a safer procedure than indicated by current surgical risk scores, according to Joseph Lamelas, M.D., chief and program director of cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Miami Health System.

27 Jan 2021

Multimodal pain regimen minimizes opioid exposure, relieves acute pain in trauma patients

A multimodal pain regimen (MMPR) designed to minimize opioid exposure and relieve acute pain associated with traumatic injury kept patient self-reported pain scores low while also reducing the daily and total amount of opioid drugs given to trauma patients.

21 Jan 2021

Latest issue of Neurosurgical Focus journal examines anterior approaches to thoracolumbar spinal surgery

The September issue of Neurosurgical Focus looks at anterior approaches to thoracolumbar spinal surgery.

1 Sep 2020

New technology enhances visualization of lung cancer tissue, helps improve patient outcomes

A groundbreaking tumor-highlighting technology- OTL38- enhances the visualization of lung cancer tissue, providing surgeons with a significantly better chance of finding and removing more cancer than previously possible, according to a scientific presentation at the 56th Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

27 Jan 2020

First-of-its-kind trial evaluates use of ultrasonic sealing for common thoracic surgical procedure

According to a new study, an ultrasonic vessel-sealing device can improve patient outcomes by reducing the incidence of thoracotomy conversion for VATS/robotic anatomical lung resection.

6 May 2019

Less-invasive surgery for lung cancer reduces risk of post-operative bleeding, complications

In a large international clinical study presented at the 99th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Moishe Liberman, a thoracic surgeon and researcher at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center, and his team showed that thoracoscopic lobectomy—video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery—combined with pulmonary artery sealing using an ultrasonic energy device reduced the risk of post-operative bleeding, complications and pain.

6 May 2019

Botulinum toxin injections show promise to suppress postoperative atrial fibrillation

Postoperative atrial fibrillation is a common complication, affecting one quarter to one half of all patients following cardiac surgery.

28 Nov 2018

Newly FDA-approved procedure for implanting heart pump helps reduce length of hospital stay

Artel Thorpe Sr. of Jackson, Tennessee, recently became the first person in the United States to undergo a new, less invasive surgical technique for implanting a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) heart pump since it was granted Federal Drug Administration approval on July 11.

3 Aug 2018

Special recovery program for thoracic surgery patients decreases healthcare costs and opioid use

A special recovery program for thoracic surgery patients developed and implemented at the University of Virginia Health System is getting patients home sooner while decreasing both healthcare costs and opioid use, a review of the first year of the program shows.

24 Apr 2018

Cerebral protection device reduces brain lesions after TAVI in patients with severe aortic stenosis

Among patients with severe aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation, the use of a cerebral protection device (a filter that captures debris [tissue and plaque] dislodged during the procedure) reduced the number and volume of brain lesions, according to a study appearing in the August 9 issue of JAMA.

9 Aug 2016

RDAVR system improves survival of patients with severe aortic stenosis

When replacing a defective aortic valve with a new one, restoring function is the first priority. However, variables such as durability, length of surgery, duration of heart stoppage, size of the surgical incision, postoperative pain, and complications are other important considerations.

17 May 2016