Thoracic

The thoracic spine is the region of the human spinal column that is found between the cervical and lumbar spines. It spans from the base of the neck to the middle back and each vertebra is connected to a pair of ribs that form the wall of the thoracic cavity. Besides aiding in respiration, the ribs serve to protect many vital organs of various bodily systems such as the respiratory (lungs, bronchi, diaphragm), cardiovascular (heart and its branches), and digestive (oesophagus) systems.

The medical specialty that is involved in treating the thoracic cavity is known as thoracic medicine though due to its location and function, it is also sometimes known as chest, pulmonary (relating to lungs), or respiratory medicine. While thoracic medicine primarily treats conditions related to the lungs and chest wall, it is common for a thoracic specialist to collaborate with other specialists such as an oncologist or cardiovascular surgeon to provide a well-rounded treatment.

Your doctor may refer you to a thoracic specialist if you exhibit symptoms like breathlessness, coughing or wheezing, or an abnormal chest x-ray that require further investigation. In such appointments, your thoracic specialist may examine your chest and obtain tissue and fluid samples before referring you for further diagnostic tests or to other specialists. At Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur, our thoracic surgery specialists are equipped with cutting-edge technology to perform minimally invasive procedures using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), where a tiny camera is inserted through a small incision in the chest wall, allowing the surgeon to view and perform procedures within the chest cavity.

List of conditions:

Lung cancer
Other tumours

Tumours may develop in any of the thoracic cavity structures such as the spine, ribs, respiratory muscles, mediastinum, and trachea though not all forms are cancerous.

Oesophageal conditions

Barrett’s oesophagus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), oesophageal stricture, achalasia

Tracheal disorders

Tracheal stenosis, tracheoesophageal fistula, trachea-gastric fistula

Congenital lung diseases

Cystic fibrosis, lung malformation

Collapsed lung

Pneumothorax, atelectasis

Chest wall deformity

Pectus excavatum, pectus carinatum

Herniation

Diaphragmatic hernia, hiatic hernia

Interstitial lung disease, a group of disorders resulting in irreversible lung scarring
Myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune disorder resulting in weakness of the skeletal muscles
Pulmonary fibrosis, the damage and scarring of lung tissue
Thoracic aortic aneurysm, the widening of a weakened aortic wall
Dysphagia, difficulty swallowing
Emphysema, shortness of breath due to damage of alveoli
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Hyperhidrosis