Latest News

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The Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF) has announced 16 new grants in support of research and education programs in cardiothoracic surgery.

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World-renowned surgeon, scientist, and inventor Eric A. Rose, MD, was awarded the 2017 Earl Bakken Scientific Achievement Award by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons during the organization’s 53rd Annual Meeting.

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Survival statistics, surgeon-specific experience, and complication rates are the types of information most wanted by parents of children with congenital heart disease, according to a survey released at the 53rd Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

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Implementing lung cancer screening as a high-quality preventive health service in a community setting is feasible, but comes with several key challenges, according to a scientific presentation at the 53rd Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

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Elderly patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and medium surgical risk experienced better than expected results after undergoing traditional surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), according to research presented at the 53rd Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

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Cardiothoracic surgeon Richard L. Prager, MD, from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, was elected President of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons during the organization’s 53rd Annual Meeting in Houston.

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Renowned quality improvement expert and public reporting advocate David M. Shahian, MD is the recipient of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 2017 Distinguished Service Award, presented at the Society’s 53rd Annual Meeting.

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Attendees of the STS 53rd Annual Meeting crowded into a packed session to hear about newly revealed research regarding a critical patient safety issue.

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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) has released the first publicly accessible national report of outcomes from lobectomy.

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Credentialed press representatives are invited to attend The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 53rd Annual Meeting, Exhibition, and Press Conference, which will include late-breaking scientific research, thought-provoking lectures, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative cardiothoracic surgery products—some that are not yet available on the market. Cardiothoracic surgeons and other health care experts also will provide an update on Mycobacterium chimaera infections related to heater-cooler devices used in cardiac surgery.

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New clinical practice guidelines have been issued by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) that include major recommendations for the use of surgical ablation when treating atrial fibrillation (Afib), the most common type of irregular heartbeat.

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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) proudly recognizes the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act by the Senate Wednesday and the House last week.

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Credentialed press representatives are invited to attend The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 53rd Annual Meeting and Exhibition.

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The worldwide cardiothoracic surgery community is aware of the public health issue with recent heater-cooler infection findings traced to a manufacturing facility and has actively engaged in understanding the cause and developing measures to lower the risk and occurrences of these infections.

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Identifying frailty in older patients could increase their chances of surviving surgery, as well as improve their overall outcomes.

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Despite the significant challenges associated with a career in cardiothoracic surgery, heart and lung surgeons report a very high level of job satisfaction, according to a survey published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) officially announced the public launch of its patient website, ctsurgerypatients.org, which offers immediate and easy access to expert, multimedia content on heart, lung, and esophageal diseases and operations.

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People with a family member who had an aortic dissection—a spontaneous tear in one of the body’s main arteries—should take note of the age that family member was when the aortic dissection occurred. According to a new study published online in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, aortic dissections have the potential to run in families and often occur within 10 years of the same age.

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Simulation training for surgery residents builds confidence and could have a life-saving impact on patients undergoing cardiac surgery, according to two studies published online in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons urges CMS to utilize the Society's resources for meaningful Medicare payment reform that would result in better patient care.

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Diabetic patients who undergo heart bypass surgery are living longer and have much better long-term outcomes when cardiothoracic surgeons use arteries rather than veins for the bypasses.

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Congressman Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN) was named “Legislator of the Year” by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons on Monday evening, in recognition for his extraordinary efforts promoting issues of importance to cardiothoracic surgeons.

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Being able to identify lung cancer “signature” through a simple breath test has emerged as one of the most promising ways to diagnose the disease. Now the test is being used to monitor for disease recurrence.

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Patients aged 65 years and older are living longer after lung cancer surgery, and with older people representing a rapidly growing proportion of patients diagnosed with lung cancer, this improved survival is especially significant.

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Patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve repair or replacement (mini-MVR) have similar outcomes as patients undergoing conventional surgery and also experience shorter hospital stays and fewer blood transfusions

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Body mass index (BMI) affects outcomes following lung resection (removal of part of the lung) for lung cancer. Patients with very high or very low BMIs have the highest risks for complications

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Two home visits by a physician’s assistant (PA) during the week after hospital discharge significantly reduces the chance that a heart surgery patient will be readmitted, and reduces overall costs associated with the heart surgery

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Poor black patients undergoing surgery for esophageal cancer are at higher risk for death than white patients and patients with higher socioeconomic status

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Internationally recognized cardiothoracic surgeon Joseph E. Bavaria, MD today was elected as President of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons during the organization’s 52nd Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz.

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Robert A. Guyton, MD is the recipient of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 2016 Distinguished Service Award, presented Monday evening at the Society’s 52nd Annual Meeting.

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Patients between the ages of 40 and 70 who undergo aortic valve replacement (AVR) may fare better with tissue-based valves rather than metal-based valves

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Using statins before and after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery can help reduce cardiac complications, such as atrial fibrillation, following surgery and also can reduce the risk of death during and after surgery

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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons has released new clinical practice guidelines that recommend expanding the use of arteries from the chest and forearm rather than using veins from the leg when performing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery in certain patients

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Poor kidney function prior to heart surgery can lead to worse outcomes, higher surgical costs, and a longer hospital stay

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Credentialed press representatives are invited to attend The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 52nd Annual Meeting and Exhibition, which will promote discussion of diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular and thoracic disease in light of current scientific evidence.

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The first full outcomes report from the STS/ACC TVT Registry provides an overview of trends and analyzes outcomes of patients having TAVR procedures. The report also describes the future of the TVT Registry.

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Allowing select patients to self-manage blood thinners following heart valve surgery may lead to a lower risk of major complications, according to an article posted online by The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

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Surgical lung resection, in which part of a lung is removed, can be a safe and effective treatment option for high-risk patients with early stage lung cancer

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Lung cancer screening programs that utilize standardized reporting and include cardiothoracic surgeons as part of a multidisciplinary team can successfully be adopted into clinical practice without an increase in surgical intervention for non-cancerous disease

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Injection drug users who undergo surgery for infective endocarditis (IE) have a significantly higher risk of reoperation or death between 3 and 6 months after surgery compared to patients who develop endocarditis who are not IV drug abusers

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A new statistical model may help predict which patients are most likely to receive life-extending benefits from surgical treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma

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Select patients age 90 years and older with aortic stenosis (AS) can benefit from a relatively new, minimally invasive surgery for aortic valve replacement

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Patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer may wait too long to receive treatment, and too many patients skip vital diagnostic steps that are needed to help determine the best possible treatment

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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, and the American Society of ExtraCorporeal Technology have released a set of clinical practice guidelines to address management of a patient’s temperature during open heart surgery

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Public reporting of health care quality and patient safety information has reached unprecedented levels, allowing patients to play an increasing role in their own health care decisions; however, as access to information becomes easier, it is important for patients to know where to look for the most accurate and reliable data

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A more aggressive approach to treating degenerative mitral valve disease, using earlier surgical intervention and less invasive techniques, is more beneficial to the patient than “watchful waiting,”

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Patients diagnosed with an advanced form of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may benefit from surgical resection (removal of all or part of the lung) in combination with chemotherapy and radiation therapy

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Researchers have created a new heart valve that combines a patient’s own cells with metal alloy for a more durable replacement with potentially fewer complications

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Using fresh whole blood from single donors is better than using component blood from multiple donors in pediatric heart surgery patients

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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) applauds Congress for taking an important step in reforming the Medicare program by voting to pass the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), which repeals the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula for Medicare physician payments.