Thoracic surgery treats disease inside the chest other than the heart — principally the lungs, the lining around them, the airway and the chest wall.
Conditions we manage
- Lung masses and tumours
- Fluid or air collecting around the lung
- Chest infections that do not clear with medication alone
- Chest injury, including broken ribs and lung bruising
- Chest wall deformity
- Biopsies to establish a diagnosis
Assessment
Chest surgery is planned around how well your lungs work, not only what the imaging shows, so breathing tests and imaging are usually both needed before a decision. If you smoke, stopping before surgery measurably reduces complications — the team will help.
Urgent symptoms
Sudden severe breathlessness, sharp chest pain with breathlessness, or coughing blood need same-day assessment.
