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The Division of Thoracic Surgery of Brigham and Women's Hospital is located in the heart of the Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. A Harvard teaching affliate, the Division has two important missions: to provide world-class services and care for patients with thoracic diseases and to oversee the training of residents and fellows specializing in thoracic surgery. Most of the clinical services of the Division are provided at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, but some services are offered at satellite facilities and community hospitals in greater Boston. On October 31, 2009, the Division completed its twenty-second year of quality surgical services for patients with thoracic diseases.
The academic year began in October, 2009, with the Division-sponsored postgraduate course "The Science of Thoracic Surgery." Directed by David J. Sugarbaker-- with co-directors Raphael Bueno, Yolonda L. Colson, Joseph Friedberg, Michael T. Jaklitsch, Scott J. Swanson, and Steven J. Mentzer--the course was offered through the Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Medical Education. The conference was held at the Taj Hotel (formerly the Ritz Carlton) which is located in Boston adjacent to the Boston Gardens. The faculty was comprised of professional staff members of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, as well as graduates of the Division’s thoracic surgery residency and fellowship programs, many of whom have assumed academic positions in thoracic surgery at other major centers in the US.
During Visiting Professor Month in November, Douglas Mathisen was invited to speak about his experiences in residency training as Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital. His talk "Where have all the cardiothoracic residents gone?" focused on current challenges in thoracic surgery related to compensation, patient volume, and competition from other medical disciplines.
May 2009 witnessed publication of the first edition of Adult Chest Surgery, edited by David J. Sugarbaker, Raphael Bueno, Steven J. Mentzer, Mark J. Krasna, and Lambros Zellos. The Department of Surgery announcement, in the July/August 2009 issue of "The BWH Medical Staff News," noted the enormity of this accomplishment, describing the title as "a comprehensive compendium of thoracic surgery as developed and practiced at BWH over the last two decades." Many of the contributors to this 1200-page textbook published by The McGraw-Hill
Companies, which contains over 600 color illustrations, were trained at the Division of Thoracic Surgery, the largest thoracic surgery practice and training program in North America. Shortly after publication, Adult Chest Surgery received an award of merit for exceptional illustration from the Association of Medical Illustrators. received honorable mention as a ?nalist in the 2009 Prose Awards sponsored by the American Association of Publishers. Of more than 450 ?rst edition entries submitted by multiple publishers, Adult Chest Surgery was one of four books recognized in the clinical medicine category. The book was judged on originality and scholarly content, production quality, and ease of use and relevance to its target audience.
John R. Roberts joined the Division in June 2009, as the Richard E. Wilson Visiting Professor of Surgical Oncology. A former graduate of one of the Division's fellowship programs, Dr. Roberts lectured to staff, fellows, and residents in Bornstein Amphitheatre on "Unresectable' Lung Cancer: Reconciling the Guidelines for Lung Cancer Surgery and Emphysema Surgery While Facing Down Radiosurgery."
The year concluded in September, 2009 with the "2nd International Bi-Annual Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery Summit," organized and directed by Scott J. Swanson with co-directors Jon O. Wee and Raphael Bueno. Held at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School, the conference attracted over 125 participants from the US and abroad. A stellar international faculty presented cutting-edge techniques in minimally invasive thoracic surgery. A measure of the success of this bi-annual summit is its continuing ability to attract a large international audience.
Email KC Zahner, Administrative Director, for comments about this website.
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NOTICE: This email is not for medically related issues. Comments or concerns regarding patient-related care should be directed to the Thoracic Surgery Clinic at 617-732-6824.
Division of Thoracic Surgery
Brigham and Women's Hospital
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115