What is the difference between a vascular surgeon and thoracic surgeon?

[soundofwonder]

Can someone please clarify which ones are the same or other names for the surgical specialities: cardiovascular, vascular, thoracic, cardiothoracic?

And also who performs surgery on the coronary artery and heart? I'm thinking it's the cardiothoracic/thoracic surgeon?

Also I saw that the thoracic surgeon treats lung cancer?

Is there a specializations where one could specialize in the only the heart and coronary artery? Like a heart surgeon?

the different names like cardiothoracic/thoracic/ vascular/cardiovascular aren't really clear, but i'm sure they're named to encompass the entire scope of what the speciality treats

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[deleted745951]

Generally in the US,

Vascular surgeons complete a vascular surgery residency (integrated or after general surgery) to obtain privileges to operate on all blood vessels of the body with the exception of intracranial ( they operate on extra cranial cerebrovascular structures) and epicardial vasculature. Cardiac and Vascular surgeons often collaborate to operate on the thoracic aorta given the ever expanding ways to fix aortic pathology.


Cardiac and thoracic surgeons complete a thoracic surgery residency (integrated or after general/vascular surgery) to be able to obtain privileges to perform heart, lung, esophageal and chest wall surgery. Within the residency exists a thoracic track where they specialize as thoracic surgeons who operate on all non cardiovascular structures in the thoracic cavity.

Then there’s the cardiac track that learn how to operate on the heart and the proximal thoracic aorta. Some individuals pursue a thoracic residency after completing a vascular surgery residency as well.

Best,
SK

 

[LucidSplash]

Generally in the US,

Vascular surgeons complete a vascular surgery residency (integrated or after general surgery) to obtain privileges to operate on all blood vessels of the body with the exception of intracranial ( they operate on extra cranial cerebrovascular structures) and epicardial vasculature. Cardiac and Vascular surgeons often collaborate to operate on the thoracic aorta given the ever expanding ways to fix aortic pathology.


Cardiac and thoracic surgeons complete a thoracic surgery residency (integrated or after general/vascular surgery) to be able to obtain privileges to perform heart, lung, esophageal and chest wall surgery. Within the residency exists a thoracic track where they specialize as thoracic surgeons who operate on all non cardiovascular structures in the thoracic cavity.

Then there’s the cardiac track that learn how to operate on the heart and the proximal thoracic aorta. Some individuals pursue a thoracic residency after completing a vascular surgery residency as well.

Best,
SK

Agree with above. To further confuse things, as there is currently a deficit of vascular surgeons compared to need, some CT surgeons end up doing some vascular work as part of their practice. A friend of mine from residency, who lives and works in a major large city, albeit on the edges and not downtown, is CT and does a fair amount of endovascular and open vascular work including PAD, aneurysms, dialysis access, etc. I think he’d rather not, but there is a need, he is private practice, and his senior partner was already doing all that when he joined. He also does hearts and lungs.

 

[mestielest]

From Turkey;

I see CVS guys doing coronary by-pass in bigger centers, and leg varicose veins and dialysis a-v shunts in the small hospitals; thoracic guys making lung resections and/or lymph node biopsies in bigger centers, and placing chest tubes in everywhere.

 

[deleted745951]

A lot of surgeons are trained as cardiac and vascular (sometimes thoracic too) surgeons in other countries, Vascular is a relatively new field, principles of vascular surgery however is not.

 

[CyrusHabs7695]

Not sure if its a stupid question, but is there further subspecialization required in CT surgery to correct congenital cardiac defects or is that a regular part of the job?

 

[deleted745951]

Oh for sure man. You have to do a congenital/paediatric cardiac surgery fellowship. Check out the TSDA website for more info.

 

[Norwood-Sano]

Agree with above. To further confuse things, as there is currently a deficit of vascular surgeons compared to need, some CT surgeons end up doing some vascular work as part of their practice. A friend of mine from residency, who lives and works in a major large city, albeit on the edges and not downtown, is CT and does a fair amount of endovascular and open vascular work including PAD, aneurysms, dialysis access, etc. I think he’d rather not, but there is a need, he is private practice, and his senior partner was already doing all that when he joined. He also does hearts and lungs.

This would be my dream set up...

 

[SpliceOfLife]

For clarity just want to emphasize that in the US "cardiothoracic" and "cardiac" and "thoracic" are often confused in part because they require passage of the ABTS (American Board of Thoracic Surgery) oral/written exam, which is what ties them all together.

There is a separate board exam for congenital cardiac surgery, which is why it is a required ACGME-accredited fellowship. There is not a separate board exam for heart failure, structural, aorta, minimally-invasive thoracic, thoracic oncology or other possible "superfellowships" from within cardiothoracic surgery. So you can practice in these areas if you build a practice after graduating without having to do extra training. That being said, some trainees find it useful to get more reps under their belts in one or more of these areas before heading off to a job.

Vascular surgery refers to surgeons who have undertaken the Vascular Surgery Certifying Exam, which is administered by ABS (American Board of Surgery), which also administers exams for general surgery certification.

Clearly there are overlaps between cardiac, thoracic, and vascular, which makes this confusing. This is because you can be certified in an area and then branch out or practice in others, once you have sufficient reps under your belt. Thus a thoracic surgeon could do thoracic outlet surgeries but so could a vascular surgeon. A cardiac surgeon or a vascular surgeon (or a neurosurgeon for that matter) can be trained in carotid surgery. In some institutions, thoracic surgeons do lung transplants but in others cardiac surgeons do them.