At Mount Sinai Medical Center, our thoracic surgical team diagnoses and treats a wide range of conditions and diseases that affect the organs in the thorax, or chest, with a special emphasis on removing cancerous tumors that originate in the lungs, trachea, esophagus, and mediastinum. Our experienced team offers a unique and personalized approach to treat our patients.

At Mount Sinai, our thoracic surgery team includes experts recruited from around the globe. These highly skilled physicians are actively involved in research and clinical trials to develop sophisticated life-saving procedures, which reduce the bodily trauma of conventional surgery. Utilizing the most advanced approaches, including minimally invasive and robotic-assisted techniques, our surgeons provide patients with expert care that results in measurably superior outcomes and faster recovery. Their expertise has earned Mount Sinai regional and national recognition for their minimally invasive thoracic surgical techniques.

Leading Volumes, Leading Outcomes

At Mount Sinai, our thoracic surgeons perform more complex thoracic and foregut procedures than any other hospital in South Florida, and we are proud to report the best outcomes and best survival rates.*

Our thoracic surgery program leaders, Roy Williams, MD, and Fernando Safdie, MD, perform more than 1,000 surgical procedures each year, including more than 600 robotic-assisted surgeries in 2021. This large volume translates to better outcomes when compared to other institutions in the region. So, when it comes to removing lung tumors and performing airway or esophageal surgery, it’s comforting to know Mount Sinai has some of the highest volumes and best clinical outcomes in the entire nation. In fact, Mount Sinai Medical Center proudly exceeds the care quality standards established by the American Health Care Association.

* Mount Sinai has the best thoracic surgery survival rates in Florida over the past 10 years, amongst hospitals performing more than 250 cases/yr (Y-End 2013-2Q 2023, AHCA)

A Multidisciplinary Approach

While surgeons play a pivotal role in the care and treatment of patients requiring thoracic surgery, at Mount Sinai, we apply a multidisciplinary approach to patient care. This means patients requiring thoracic surgery benefit from a team of doctors and other care providers, including surgeons, radiologists, anesthesiologists, oncologists (for cancer patients), pulmonologists, and gastroenterologists (for GI patients) who review their case, contribute expertise, and assist in tailoring treatments to their individual needs.

Once a week, our team of professionals comes together to discuss complex clinical cases as well as advances in treatment that can improve patient care and outcomes.

Your Chest Is at the Center of It All

The chest — or thorax — contains the heart, lungs, vital arteries, the trachea (or windpipe), and the top part of the digestive tract, known as the foregut, which includes the esophagus.