Difficult Decisions in Thoracic Surgery An Evidence-Based Approach [Paperback]

The complexity of decision making in thoracic surgery is growing exponentially. As new technology is introduced, physicians from nonsurgical specialties offer alternative and competing therapies for what was once the exclusive province of the thoracic surgeon. In addition, there is increasing knowledge regarding the efficacy of traditional thoracic surgical therapies. How to select among these varied and complex approaches is becoming increasingly difficult. The first two editions of this book have found wide acceptance among practicing surgeons, trainees, and educators. Chapters from them are regularly cited by the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association as valuable resources for their weekly curriculum exercises. As in the first two editions, chapters adhere to a specific format (updated for the third edition).? This approach provides uniformity to the presentations, making it possible to identify useful material at a glance.This timely reference will help practicing surgeons, surgeons in training and educators with difficult, and even controversial, decisions in general thoracic surgery. It details the recommended ideal approach in selected clinical situations.1. Introduction.- Part 1. Evaluations and Decisions.- 2. Evidence based medicine: quality of evidence and evaluation systems.- 3. Decision analytic techniques and other decision processes.- 4. Decision making: the surgeon's perspective.- 5. Decision making: the patient's perspective.- Part 2. Lung.-?6. Indications for pretreatment pathologic mediastinal staging in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).- 7. Preoperative Smoking Cessation for Lung Resection Patients.- 8. High tech exercise testing in assessing candidates for lung resection.- 9. Management of perioperative anticoagulation during lung resection.- 10. Perioperative arrhythmia prophylaxis for major lung resection.- 11. VATS vs open lobectomy for stage I or II NSCLC.- 12. Robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) versus video-assisted thoracoscopil£