Thoracic Diseases

Surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center (NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia) treat a wide variety of thoracic diseases and disorders, ranging from cystic fibrosis to lung cancer. A brief summary of some common conditions follows. To learn more about a specific condition, click on the links. For more information on the surgical management of these conditions, please go to Surgical Procedures and Innovations.

Lung cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. With 170,000 new cases each year, it is the leading cause of death from cancer. Early detection can improve survival. When lung cancer is further advanced, surgery in combination with chemotherapy or radiation therapy may still be curative.

The term Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COLD) labels the group of diseases linked by a common difficulty in expelling air from the lungs. The three diseases most commonly termed COPD or COLD are asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema.

Interstitial Lung Disease & Pulmonary Fibrosis are general terms used to describe inflammatory and fibrotic disorders of interstitium (lung tissue). There are over 100 known causes of interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis, including familial and genetic disorders, inhaled substances, infections, medications, and connective tissue diseases.

Hyperhidrosis refers to excessive sweating in the hands, feet, and other regions of the body that is caused by hyperactivity of the autonomic nervous system. Approximately 1% of adults are estimated to suffer from hyperhidrosis, which can be treated medically or through a non-invasive surgical procedure known as an endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS).

Our thoracic surgeons have wide experience in the management of benign and malignant esophageal disease, including Barrett’s Disease. The prevalence of the most common form of esophageal cancer, adenocarcinoma, is increasing faster than any other tumor in North America.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a common digestive disorder with symptoms of heartburn, is a much less dangerous form of esophageal disease that afflicts millions of Americans each year.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia has been designated a center of excellence in the management of mesothelioma by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. We are currently studying several new treatments, including a novel multimodality, or combination approach, which includes vaccine therapy, in vitro chemosensitivity testing, and drug analysis, followed by surgical removal and radiotherapy. A multimodality approach to this disease offers patients the best chance to be cured.

For well over 50 years, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia has been internationally recognized as a leader in the diagnosis and treatment of myasthenia gravis—an autoimmune disorder causing muscular weakness. Our current research efforts are directed towards the development of a more standardized staging system to allow comparison of different medical and surgical therapies, including robotically assisted minimally invasive thymectomy (removal of the thymus gland). Our team approach—including specialists in neurology, pain management, pulmonology, and critical care—has dramatically improved the effectiveness and safety of thymectomy, which can now be recommended even for patients with advanced muscle weakness.

Cystic fibrosis is a severe, genetically-determined disease involving the lungs and gastrointestinal tract, as well as other organs. This disease affects the glands that secrete sweat and mucus. Cystic fibrosis is often treated at home with antibiotics and special exercises for draining mucus in the chest.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) is a term used to describe symptoms which arise from the compression of the subclavian (under the collarbone) artery or vein. The diagnosis is often controversial because there is no universally accepted test to confirm the presence of the compression.