This issue of Thoracic Surgery Clinics is devoted to "Robotic Surgery." Editor Bernard Park, MD of Hackensack University Medical Center brings together the top experts to review this important topic in thoracic surgery. Articles in this issue include: Robotic Thoracic Surgery: Technical Considerations and Learning Curve; VATS-based Approach for Robotic Lobectomy; Total Port Approach for Robotic Lobectomy; Long-term Results for Robotic Lobectomy for Lung Cancer; Robotic Segmentectomy and Pneumonectomy; Robotic Benign Esophageal Procedures; Robotic Esophagectomy (Ivor Lewis and McKeown Approaches); Robotic Thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis; Robotic Thymectomy for Thymic Neoplasms; and Robotic versus Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery: Advantages and Disadvantages.

This issue of Interventional Cardiology Clinics examines approaches to left atrial appendage exclusion. Topics include stroke and bleeding risks in patients with atrial fibrillation, embryology and anatomy, rationale, catheter-based endocardial closure, pericardial access, catheter-based epicardial closure, surgical closure, device and left atrial appendage specific characteristic for successful closure, clinical results, the role of CTA and MRA imaging, imaging with TEE, post-procedural management, and prevention and management of complications. ".An excellent book, written by experts in the field...I would highly recommend it to medical and surgical staff interested in this subject." Reviewed by Perfusion, Apr 2015

This issue of Thoracic Surgery Clinics, Guest Edited by Drs. Jean Deslauriers, F.G. Pearson, and Farid Shamji, is devoted to surgery and chemotherapy for lung cancer. This issue was written as a tribute to Dr. Robert J. Ginsberg, and will include articles on: Contemporary results of surgical resection of NSCLC after induction therapy; Prediction of operative morbidity and mortality before operation; Limited resection for small diameter tumors; Management of tumors involving the chest wall, including Pancoast tumors and tumors invading the spine; Role of surgery in patients with clinical N2 disease; Reconstruction of the bronchus and pulmonary artery; Current status of systematic lymph node dissection versus lymph node sampling; Intraoperative nodal staging: Role of sentinel node technology; Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in early stage tumors; Palliative resection; Adjuvant chemotherapy after pulmonary resection for lung cancer; Targeted therapy and new anti-cancer drugs in advanced disease; Biologic approaches to drug selection and targeted therapies; Cost effective methods for follow-up after lung cancer surgery; Quality of life after pulmonary resection; and Principles of palliative care.

This issue of Interventional Cardiology Clinics reviews percutaneous circulatory support device use in several situations, including left and right ventricular shock, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and infarct size reduction. Keep up to date with the latest developments in this rapidly evolving field.

Make optimal use of the latest coronary stenting techniques and adjunctive devices with well-rounded guidance from Coronary Stenting, a companion volume to Dr. Topol s Textbook of Interventional Cardiology. This comprehensive, up-to-date interventional cardiology book keeps you abreast of the latest trial data on efficacy and safety as well as cutting-edge clinical applications in coronary stenting. "This book guides you through everything in percutaneous intervention that you need to know." Reviewed by Perfusion, Apr 2015 Achieve optimal outcomes and minimize complications with expert guidance from the foremost teachers and writers in the field of interventional cardiology. Implement the latest knowledge on cutting-edge topics such as drug-eluting stent design; appropriate interpretation of randomized clinical trials and comparative effectiveness studies of coronary stents; the use of fractional flow reserve, intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography to optimize lesion selection and stent implantation; anterograde and retrograde approaches to chronic total occlusions; and percutaneous revascularization of diabetics and patients with left main or multivessel disease. Quickly and easily find the coronary stenting information you need thanks to highly templated chapters and high-quality full-color illustrations that incorporate the latest clinical trial data into recommendations for proper patient and device selection. Access the fully searchable text online, download images, and more at Expert Consult.

This issue of Thoracic Surgery Clinics covers the management of benign and malignant pleural effusions. Expert authors review the most current information available about decision making in the management of pleural effusion, management of hemothorax, surgical management of malignant pleural effusion, surgical treatment of malignant mesothelioma, and more. Keep up-to-the-minute with the latest developments in this important aspect of thoracic surgery practice.

The articles in this issue address psychosocial and quality of life concerns for patients who have undergone thoracic surgery. Topics include changes in quality of life after pulmonary resection; impact of minimally invasive thoracic surgery on quality of life; psychosocial aspects of lung transplantation; and physical, cognitive and emotional dysfunctions resulting from intensive care.

This issue reviews the indications and procedures for surgery in patients with localized pulmonary infection. It includes articles on TB, pulmonary abscesses, fungal infections, and other entities.

This issue highlights management issues surrounding specific subjects within the clinical practice of thoracic surgery. The articles represent areas of thoracic surgery where there may be controversy, lack of consensus, or evolution.? Each author summarizes the available literature with the addition of his or her own personal expertise.

The aim of this issue is to provide the thoracic surgeon with information about the staging and treatment of cancer to the mediastinal lymph nodes. The issue includes articles on the anatomy and physiology of the lymph nodes, imaging of the lymph nodes, and various techniques for diagnosing and dissecting the lymph nodes, including video-assisted mediastinoscopic lymphadenectomy and transcervical extended mediastinal lymphadenectomy.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among US women over the age of 65, resulting in more deaths than all forms of cancer combined. Women are less likely to survive heart attacks than are men, possibly because symptoms in women may differ and may be less recognizable.? In addition, women consistently tend to have worse clinical outcomes in percutaneous coronary interventions than do men. For these reasons, an issue on percutaneous interventions in women is timely.

Benign esophageal diseases are common problems treated by thoracic surgeons.? This issue includes articles on the diagnosis and management of several motility and reflux disorders that are considered benign, with an emphasis on the use of cutting-edge technology.

A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a surgically implanted pump that helps the left ventricle pump blood to the rest of the body.? The purpose of this issue is to let cardiologists know about the latest devices, their complications, and the clinical situations in which they are most beneficial.

This comprehensive reference provides easy access to information on the fundamental and practical aspects of modern cardiological practice, covering emerging fields and high technology, and dispensing practical clinical wisdom. Written in an approachable style, and using a quick-reference layout, the Oxford Desk Reference is perfect for the busy clinician requiring a diversity of information without the time to search through hundreds of sources. There are tables, summary boxes and algorithms throughout the book, allowing the reader access to key information and the most up-to-date treatment and management guidelines.
Edited by leading names in the field from the UK, Australia and Hong Kong, and with contributions from an international panel of sub-speciality experts, this outstanding resource covers all that a 21st century clinician needs to know in the management of patients with cardiac diseases.

This issue of Clinics in Chest Medicine, guest edited by Robert Kotloff, focuses on the topics of Lung Transplantation. Articles include: Candidate Selection, Timing of Listing, and Choice of Procedure for Lung Transplantation; Lung Allocation in the United States, Selection and Management of the Lung Donor; Novel Approaches to Expanding the Lung Donor Pool: Donation After Cardiac Death and Ex Vivo Conditioning; Extracorporeal Life Support as a Bridge to Lung Transplantation; Survival and Quality of Life of Patients Undergoing Lung Transplant; Primary Graft Dysfunction; Acute Allograft Rejection: Cellular and Humoral Processes, and more!

This issue of Thoracic Surgery Clinics includes well-illustrated articles on surface anatomy, the pleura and pleural spaces (including the anatomy of the parietal and visceral pleura, the pleural reflections and recesses, and microscopic anatomy of the pleura), anatomy of the? mediastinum (including mediastinal divisions and compartments, the thymus, the superior vena cava and brachiocephalic veins, the heart and pericardium, the thoracic aorta and its branches, the thoracic duct, and the nerves of the thorax) and the anatomy of the diaphragm and the esophagus (including? vascular supply, lymphatic pathways, innvervation).

Lead by Guest Editor Federico Venuta, this issue on Thymoma is?a collaborative effort of?the?European Society of Thoracic Surgeons' Thymic Working Group.? This panel of experts from around the world explores 14 different topics related to thymoma and thymic carcinoma, such as the?prediction of Thymoma histology and stage by radiographic criteria, the?management of stage I and II Thymoma, minimally invasive and robotic-assisted Thymus resection, chemotherapy for Thymic tumors, published guidelines for the?management of Thymoma, and more.? ?

This issue of the Thoracic Surgery Clinics is dedicated to a technical aspect of the clinical practice with which surgeons have become increasingly familiar through the years. The term "chest wall surgery? refers to a wide variety of procedures, varying from a straightforward removal of one rib or the correction of a congenital malformation to an extremely complex resection and subsequent reconstruction of the chest wall primarily aimed at preserving geometrical and functional integrity. As such, chest wall surgery can really offer scenarios where the creativity and the technical skills are emphasized to an unprecedented level in the thoracic surgical practice.

This issue of the Thoracic Surgery Clinics will cover the following topics: physiology of pleural space, risk factors for prolonged air leak after pulmonary resection, surgical techniques to avoid parenchymal injury during lung resection, intraoperative measures for preventing air leaks, sealants and buttressing materials in pulmonary surgery, postoperative strategies to treat persistent air leaks, the management of chest tubes after pulmonary resection, digital and smart chest drainage systems to monitor air leaks, portable chest drainage systems and outpatient chest tube management, and prolonged air leak after LVRS and in the ventilated patients.

Fundamentals of Congenital Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery is a first of its kind, fully-illustrated guide that is solely dedicated to the most diffused congenital minimally invasive cardiac surgery procedures. It provides detailed, step-by-step descriptions of surgical maneuvers to underline each aspect of the procedures along with full color drawings and operative pictures to enhance understanding. Each chapter fully describes the preoperative setting, the needed materials and the required technical skills that make specific congenital heart defects amenable to minimally invasive surgical treatment. This is the perfect go-to reference for pediatric and congenital cardiac surgeons, and is also a must-have guide for residents in cardiac surgery who are looking to review the technical aspects and outcomes of utilizing a minimally invasive approach for cardiac surgery.

This issue of the Thoracic Surgery Clinics will cover the following topics: ? cervical videomediastinoscopy, parasternal mediastinotomy, awake videothoracoscopic surgery in anterior mediastinal? masses, extended transcervical thymectomy, extended transsternal thymectomy, extended videothoracoscopic thymectomy, ppen approaches to posterior mediastinal tumors in adults, videothoracoscopic approach to posterior mediastinal tumors, videothoracoscopic approach to the spine, surgical approaches for invasive tumors of the anterior mediastinum, videothoracoscopic sympathectomy, videothoracoscopic mediastinal lymphadenectomies, transcervical extended mediastinal lymphadenectomy, and robotic surgery of the mediastinum

Proposed topics for this issue include: Anatomy and Physiology; Imaging; Paralysis -Acquired; Eventration; Posterior Hernias in Infants; Anterior Hernias in Infants; Congenital Hernias in Adults; Traumatic Hernias; Traumatic Hernias; Paraesophageal Hernias; Tumors; Reconstructive Techniques.

Advanced imaging technology has greatly improved the practice of thoracic surgery in the past 35 years. Among many other benefits, the advances decreased the rate of futile thoracotomy for lung cancer from more than 20% in the 1970s to the current incidence of only a few percent.? This issue of Thoracic Surgery Clinics provides updates about recent advances in imaging of thoracic diseases, and will help practicing thoracic surgeons understand how to best frame requests so that optimally useful information emerges from an examination.

Proposed topics for this issue include: Preoperative Evaluation and Risk Assessment; Surgical Management of Benign Pulmonary Diseases; Surgical Resection for Lung Cancer in the Elderly; Benign Esophageal Diseases - Diagnosis and Treatment; Surgical Resection for Esophageal Cancer in the Elderly; Postoperative Pain Management in the Elderly; Chemotherapy in the Elderly - Induction and Adjuvant Therapy; Radiation Issues in the Elderly; Quality of Life Issues and Ethical Dilemmas in the Elderly; Areas of Future Research and Studies.