Thoracic Surgery

Thoracic surgery involves the organs in the chest cavity, primarily the lungs.

CMC’s cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons treat many conditions within the chest, including:

Lung cancer
Lung nodules
Mediastinal tumors
Empyema and other pleural space diseases

Patients undergoing thoracic surgery are treated by a multidisciplinary team that may include surgeons, pulmonologists, oncologists, radiologists, radiation therapists and pathologists. This coordinated approach ensures the best surgical outcomes, recovery and ongoing care.

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Why choose CMC?

CMC’s New England Heart & Vascular Institute offers expert surgical treatment and care for thoracic diseases.

We specialize in the surgical treatment of lung diseases, including lung cancer, lung nodules, mediastinal tumors, and other pleural space diseases. Our thoracic surgeons use minimally invasive, robotic-assisted surgery whenever possible. Let our award-winning experts manage your surgical needs.

Minimally Invasive Robotic Assisted Thoracic Surgery

CMC is home to the most experienced robotic surgery program in southern New Hampshire. Our surgical team has over 20 years of experience using the da Vinci system and is now applying this technology to thoracic surgery.

Minimally invasive, robotic- assisted thoracic surgery offers extreme precision in removing suspicious masses or tumors from the lung. The incision is small, causing less disturbance to the rest of the chest cavity compared to traditional thoracic surgery. Benefits of this procedure include:

Shorter hospital stay
Fewer potential complications
Less pain during recovery

We also use long-acting local anesthetics and a process called cryoanalgesia—freezing the nerve endings at the surgical site—to reduce post-operative pain without the need for narcotics.

Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS)

Video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been used at CMC over the last 20 years to allowing for quicker recovery and less pain. VATS involves inserting a small camera into the chest cavity through a small incision, with the surgical instruments entering through a second incision. VATS is far less invasive than open thoracic surgery, offering shorter healing times and less discomfort.

Cryoanalgesia is also used in combination with regional anesthesia, allowing for early discharge from the hospital without the need for prescription narcotics.

Is a Low-Dose Lung Screening CT right for you?

Lung cancer remains the number one cause of cancer-related death in the United States. But a simple procedure at CMC is offering hope for early detection and successful treatment.

You may be eligible if you:

Are age 50-77, and
Have a history of smoking (20 pack-year), and
Smoke now or have quit within the past 15 years

If you meet these criteria, speak with your primary care provider to obtain an order for screening.

Nationally Licensed & Recognized

3-Star Rating

CMC offers the most advanced cardiac and vascular surgical care in northern New England. Our surgeons—with board certifications in general, cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgery—have a 3-Star designation by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, a distinction earned by only the top 11% of cardiac surgery centers in the U.S.

National Board for Respiratory Care

All CMC Respiratory Services staff members are licensed by the National Board for Respiratory Care and the State of New Hampshire.

Designated Lung Cancer Screening Center

The Radiology Department at CMC is designated as an American College of Radiology (ACR) accredited Lung Cancer Screening Center. This means you can be assured that the technologists, equipment and physicians providing your care have met and exceeded stringent guidelines.