Preface

Adult Chest Surgery is your guide to the future of thoracic surgery. Now in its second edition, this internationally recognized, authoritative resource builds on the reputation of the first edition, which garnered numerous awards and laudatory reviews for art, production, and science.^1–3 Intended for residents preparing for a case, surgeons seeking management tips, and surgeon specialists preparing for board recertification, the second edition remains steadfast in its mission to provide a comprehensive yet practical guide to the modern practice of general thoracic surgery. Broad in scope and straightforward in style and presentation, the volume is an excellent reference for anyone desiring a comprehensive description of the clinical nature of general thoracic surgery.

By updating the second edition in record time for a volume of this length and complexity, the editors of the second edition have assured that the information is current and applicable to present day practice. The concise description of current techniques and surgical principles for the most common thoracic surgical problems encountered in the clinic and the operating room are the thrust of this text. It expands generously on the content of the first edition with 40 new chapters devoted to a range of topics including new endoscopic techniques for antireflux surgery; percutaneous thoracic tumor ablation; peroral esophageal myotomy; robotic techniques for lobectomy, esophagectomy, and thymectomy; and other new minimally invasive approaches to standard thoracic resections.

More than 250 detailed illustrations of procedures have been added to the text, bringing the total to 850. The volume continues to represent several generations of internationally recognized surgical innovators conversant in a range of innovative techniques and technologies, as well as leading medical experts in thoracic oncology and pulmonary disease. These thought leaders have trained in centers of surgical excellence that have contributed to the discipline of general thoracic surgery. We are indebted to these individuals and especially their mentors, who sustained and nurtured general thoracic surgical education and training from the infancy of the discipline.

The editors wish to acknowledge the continued support of Ann Adams and Marcia Williams, who have brought continuity to the second edition through their excellent and precise editorial and artistic contributions.

We also acknowledge our spouses Linda Sugarbaker, Kate Poverman, Gray Lorig, Bridget Jaklitsch, Diane Krasna, and Barbara Smith for putting up with our hectic schedules; our parents Geneva V. and Everett D. Sugarbaker, Rachel and David Bueno, Thomas and Shirley Colson, Frederick and Evelyn Jaklitsch, Anne and Irwin Krasna, and Loy and James Mentzer, who inspired and supported us in our educational pursuits; our partners, trainees, and colleagues, who carry the field forward; and our patients, who put their trust and hope in our hands.