Thoracic Surgery

The Section of Thoracic Surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery specializes in the surgical treatment of the chest area including the lungs, esophagus, trachea, diaphragm, chest wall, and mediastinum (the area between the lungs). Our providers utilize minimally invasive procedures and open surgery to help address aneurysms, coronary artery disease, heart and lung transplants, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), among other illnesses.

Mission

To bring the most modern and personalized care to the community of Tucson and Southern Arizona.

Our Approach

Our team spearheads novel clinical approaches for treating lung cancer in the elderly and those with significant heart and lung disorders. 

We aim to use aim to use smaller incisions and lung-sparing resections to minimize complications, shorten hospital stay, and hasten recovery. Our team has experience using navigational bronchoscopy, video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) to accomplish this goal. 

We engage in multidisciplinary tumor boards for lung, mediastinal, pleural, and esophageal cancer to assure that patients have access to the most advanced cancer care protocols and clinical trials. The University of Arizona Cancer Center is the only comprehensive cancer center designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Arizona, and one of a select few sites nationwide that can offer early-phase clinical trials.