As a leading provider of thoracic surgery, Tampa General Medical Group offers innovative treatment for a comprehensive range of thoracic conditions. Our highly skilled surgeons, under the guidance of Director, Thoracic Surgery, Dr. K. Eric Sommers, specialize in procedures that use the latest technological advancements to reduce recovery times, lower the risk of complications, and lessen postoperative pain. Supported by a dedicated team of medical specialists that include oncologists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, and radiologists, TGMG surgeons can accurately evaluate your condition to determine which one of our procedures would be right for you.

TGMG surgeons perform three different types of surgery:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery - Minimally Invasive Surgery Refers To Specific Procedures That Minimize Surgical Incisions To Reduce Trauma To The Body. At TGMG, Our Highly Trained Surgeons Have Vast Experience Performing Minimally Invasive Procedures.

• Robotic-Assisted Surgery - This Type Of Minimally Invasive Surgery Uses Miniaturized Surgical Instruments Mounted To Robotic Arms, Allowing Surgeons Maximum Range Of Motion And Precision. TGMG’s Surgeons Have Performed Hundreds Of Robotic-Assisted Procedures Using The Da Vinci® Surgical System.

• Video-Assisted Surgery - Also Known As VATS, This Minimally Invasive Procedure Is Performed By Inserting A Small Video Camera And Surgical Instruments Through Tiny Incisions. At TGMG, We Specialize In Video-Assisted Surgery.

Utilizing these distinct techniques, our surgeons are capable of performing a wide range of specific thoracic procedures, including:

Bronchoscopy

This procedure uses a flexible instrument with a camera on the end that allows doctors to look inside the airways of your lungs for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The instrument is thread through your nose or mouth and down your throat in order to reach the lungs.

Chest Wall Reconstruction

Chest wall reconstruction uses man-made prosthetic materials to rebuild the skeletal structure of your chest wall after surgery, or to correct chest wall disorders due to congenital conditions or trauma. 

Endoscopic Mucosal Resection

This procedure, also known as EMR, is performed with a flexible tube equipped with a light and tiny camera that is passed down your throat into your esophagus, stomach, or upper part of the small intestine. The procedure is usually performed to remove early-stage cancer, pre-cancerous growths, or abnormal tissue from the digestive tract.

Esophagectomy

An esophagectomy is the surgical removal of all, or part, of the esophagus, which is the long hollow tube that moves food from the throat to the stomach. This procedure is commonly used to treat esophageal cancer.

Lobectomy

A lobectomy is the surgical removal of a lobe of the lung. This procedure is commonly performed for non-small cell lung cancers in which the tumor is confined to a single lobe, but it can also be used to treat a fungal infection, emphysema, and tuberculosis.

Pneumonectomy

A pneumonectomy is a surgery to remove an entire lung. This procedure is performed to treat cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), trauma, or tuberculosis.

Segmentectomy

Segmentectomy, also called segmental resection, refers to surgery to remove part of a lung to treat non-small cell lung cancer, fungal infections, or congenital lung malformations.

Thymectomy

A thymectomy is the surgical removal of the thymus gland, which is located just under the breast bone. It is often performed as a treatment for people with myasthenia gravis, a thymic disorder.

Tracheal Resection

Tracheal resection involves removing a short section of the trachea and stitching the cut ends together. It is most commonly used as a treatment for tracheal stenosis, or the narrowing of the windpipe.