The Thoracic Surgery Clinic deals with the complete and thorough management of patients suffering from thoracic surgery conditions. The Clinic’s top priority is to provide patients with high-standard services, both during their preoperative assessment as well as during their postoperative course and follow-up.
The Clinic performs the full range of thoracic surgeries, placing great emphasis on Thoracoscopic (VATS-Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery) and Robotic (RATS-Robotic Assisted Thoracic Surgery) Surgery using the da Vinci Xi Robotic System. Our team members have been trained in renowned centers abroad and they hold extensive experience on such techniques, which they have been using in Greece for many years now. It should be noted that when these techniques are contraindicated, the open method is applied.
The surgical procedures performed in our Clinic include:
- Anatomical lung resections (lobectomy, segmentectomy, pneumonectomy, wedge resection) to treat lung cancer. Surgeries are mainly performed using the Thoracoscopic technique or the Robotic technique, in a minimally invasive fashion, .i.e avoiding thoracotomy.
- Major lung surgeries with bronchoplasty, arterioplasty, and co-resection of part of the chest wall, as needed.
- Thoracoscopic treatment of recurrent pneumothorax and pleural effusions
- Treatment of severe emphysema when conservative treatment with Lung Volume Reduction Surgery (LVRS) fails, excision of giant pulmonary emphysematous cysts
- Resection of anterior, middle, and posterior mediastinal tumors (thymoma , bronchogenic and pericardial cysts, teratoma, and non-seminomatous germ cell tumors [NSGCT], neurogenic tumors). Surgeries on mediastinal tumors measuring less than 6-7 cm are performed using either the Robotic or the Thoracoscopic technique
- Thymus gland resection (thymectomy) in patients with myasthenia gravis, using either the Robotic or the Thoracoscopic technique.
- Chest wall tumor resection
- Treatment of thoracic wall deformities such as pectus excavatum (funnel chest) or pectus carinatum (pigeon chest), using thoracoscopic bar placement (Nuss surgery) or open method in more severe cases (Ravitch procedure)
- Robot-assisted thoracoscopic diaphragm plication in paralyzed patients
- Partial or total esophagectomy for the treatment of esophageal cancer, using the Thoracoscopic or the Robotic technique, as well as resection of esophageal wall tumors
- Thoracoscopic or subxiphoid pericardial window in cases of recurrent pericardial effusions
- Treatment of chest injury of all causes and complications thereof (traumatic hemothorax and pneumothorax, bronchial rupture, septal rupture, surgical repair of flail chest)
- Lung biopsy (thoracoscopic) in cases of interstitial lung disease where other diagnostic approaches are inapplicable or inconclusive
- Mediastinoscopy for lymph node tissue inspection/biopsy in suspected lymphoma, sarcoidosis or for staging lung cancer when bronchoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound are not available
- Surgical resection of large mediastinal or lung tumors by sternotomy or thoracotomy
- Surgical treatment of mesothelioma (pleurectomy / decortication)
- Thoracoscopic (VATS) sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis
- Treatment for thoracic outlet syndrome
The use of minimally invasive techniques in thoracic surgery has been rapidly evolving worldwide, particularly in the last decade. Such techniques contribute to a smoother postoperative course and minimize postoperative complications. Patients feel minimal pain and they can mobilize even on surgery day, i.e. a fact contributing to their smoother recovery.
This is particularly important for patients undergoing lung resection for cancer, because thoracotomy is avoided, and pain and complications are significantly reduced. The length of hospital stay is shorter and patients can resume their daily activities much sooner. In addition, patients requiring complementary chemotherapy exhibit a much better health status. The oncological outcome is the same because the procedure does not differ, i.e. lobectomy (or segmentectomy) and lymph node dissection are performed. What differs is the way surgery is done, i.e. through small incisions (usually 1 to 2) on the chest wall and with the assistance of a high-definition camera (HD) and special tools. High-resolution screens facilitate thorough lymph node dissection to a greater extent.
Our Clinic works closely with all the Departments of our Hospital. As most of our practice concerns patients with malignant diseases of the thoracic organs, co-operating with the Departments of Oncology, Pulmonology, Internal Medicine, and Surgery is of utmost importance. Each case is reviewed on an individual basis by the Tumor Board; a Thoracic Surgeon discusses with both an Oncologist and a Pulmonologist to jointly decide on the most appropriate treatment strategy for each oncology patient.
Staff
Chief:
Κonstantinos Konstantinidis, Τhoracic Surgeon
Assistant:
Alexandros Karantzas, Τhoracic Surgeon
Grigoriοs Karagkiouzis, Thoracic Surgeon
Contact number: +30 210 650 2689-2659
