Ann Thorac Surg 2008;85:S698. doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2007.12.022
© 2008 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Supplement: The Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery Summit
Introduction: The Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery Summit
Scott J. Swanson, MD*
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York
* Address correspondence to Dr Swanson, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, 1190 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029 (Email: scott.swanson{at}mountsinai.org).
The proceedings from the Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery Summit held at the New York Academy of Medicine on June 8 and 9, 2007, and hosted by The Mount Sinai School of Medicine are presented in the accompanying supplement to The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. This summit is the first to bring together a group of thoracic surgeons dedicated to the field of minimally invasive general thoracic surgery. The goal was to present the current state-of-the-art and give insights and data based on the faculty’s experience on where the field is heading.
The papers published in this supplement discuss a range of topics mirroring the course agenda. Pertaining to lung cancer, these include minimally invasive approaches to lung cancer treatment, lung cancer screening, and new developments in lung cancer molecular biology. The workup and staging of esophageal cancer and benign esophageal disorders as well as the best treatment for esophageal malignancy are highlighted. Minimally invasive approaches to the mediastinum are reviewed. For each area, the potential for application of the robot is featured. A fascinating section focuses on new developments in technology, including stent therapy, navigational bronchoscopy, lung localization options, sentinel node identification in lung cancer, and ablative and innovative radiation techniques.
The manuscripts that follow are original publications, extended abstracts, editorials, or reviews that best fit the presented lecture and are an outstanding compilation of the most up-to-date information in the field of minimally invasive thoracic surgery in the world today. I would like to thank our generous sponsors from Ethicon and Alveolus for the essential support they provided this forum for our course participants and readers. Without them, moving forward would not be possible.
