Perspective Statement: Beyond the Society of Thoracic Surgery's (STS) quality metrics, many other operative measures, such as completeness of revascularization, and patient care measures add quality and value for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery; and Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols have improved patient experience and recovery, leading to better outcomes and significant healthcare savings.

Beating-heart CABG in patients with LV dysfunction can provide the best of all words by limiting myocardial injury purported by cardioplegic arrest. Complete revascularization is possible and graft numbers are not different when compared to arrested heart CABG. Furthermore, beating-heart CABG more often reduces the need for intraoperative and postoperative mechanical support reducing the complications and costs associated with these devices. CENTRAL MESSAGE: Beating-heart CABG avoids ischemic insult to the heart while allowing for complete revascularization.

The robotic platform may provide advantages over sternotomy including improved visualization and greater dexterity. With emerging evidence increasingly supporting the importance of concomitantly addressing tricuspid regurgitation and atrial fibrillation, robotic surgeons should be encouraged to perform appropriate concomitant procedures where indicated.

Sublobar resection offers a parenchymal-sparing surgical alternative to lobectomy and includes wedge resection and segmentectomy. Sublobar resection has been historically utilized in high-risk patients with compromised lung function; however, the technique is becoming more prevalent for normal-risk patients with peripheral lung tumors < 2 cm. In this article, we summarize the technique of sublobar resection, the importance of surgical margins and lymph node sampling, patient selection, perioperative complications, outcomes, and the impact of sublobar resection on the quality of life. There is limited data on short-term and long-term outcomes after sublobar resection for stage I NSCLC in high-risk patients. Results from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of sublobar resection have been variable. We have summarized the results of the ACOSOG Z4032 RCT, which compared outcomes in high-risk patients who underwent sublobar resection alone versus sublobar resection with brachytherapy for stage I NSCLC. In addition, we have summarized recent findings of the CALGB/Alliance 140503 RCT comparing sublobar resection and lobectomy, which suggested that disease-free survival after sublobar resection in patients with small (< 2 cm) peripheral NSCLC was non-inferior to lobectomy, and another RCT (JCOG 0802) of segmentectomy vs. lobectomy for small peripheral clinical stage IA NSCLC, where segmentectomy was associated with better overall survival despite a higher local recurrence rate. Sublobar resection is primarily performed with minimally invasive approaches, including robotic assisted and video-assisted thoracoscopic techniques. From an oncologic perspective, obtaining adequate surgical margins and performing an adequate lymph node evaluation are critical for good outcomes after sublobar resection.

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) has emerged as an alternative, non-surgical treatment for high-risk patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with increased use over time. The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Clinical Practice Standards Committee (CPSC) assembled an expert panel and conducted a systematic review of the literature evaluating the results of SABR, which is also referred to as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), prior to developing treatment recommendations for high-risk patients with stage I NSCLC based on expert consensus. Publications detailing the findings of 16 prospective studies of SABR and 14 retrospective studies of SABR for the management of early-stage lung cancer in 54 697 patients were identified by systematic review of the literature with further review by members of our expert panel. Medical inoperability (93-95%) was the primary reason for utilizing SABR. The median rate of histologically confirmed cancer in treated patients was 67% (range 57-86%). In retrospective studies and prospective studies, the most common dosing regimens were 48-54 Gy in 3-5 fractions and 44-66 Gy in 3-5 fractions respectively. The median follow-up after SABR was 30 months (range 15-50). The complications, oncological results and quality of life after SABR in high-risk patients with early-stage NSCLC are summarized in this Expert Review article. Further prospective randomized trials are needed and are currently underway to compare outcomes after SABR with outcomes after sublobar resection to fully evaluate treatment options applicable this high-risk group of patients.

Image-guided thermal ablation (IGTA) applied to pulmonary pathology is an alternative to surgery in high-risk patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Its application to lung neoplasm was first introduced in 2001 and has been implemented to treat metastatic disease to the lung or in select medically inoperable patients with peripheral stage I NSCLC. IGTA may also be an alternative to treat stage I NSCLC in non-operable patients with interstitial lung disease in whom a radiation modality is deemed too high risk. There are 3 methods of delivery: radiofrequency ablation (RFA), microwave ablation and cryoablation. Observational series and some prospective trials have shown safety and efficacy across all three modalities. Despite accumulating experience, there are no large randomized clinical trials comparing the outcomes of lung IGTA to alternative locoregional therapies (e.g. stereotactic body radiotherapy or sublobar pulmonary resection) for the treatment of stage I NSCLC. Because IGTA is a local therapy, a higher risk of locoregional recurrence is inherently understood as compared with anatomic resection. In the literature, primary tumor control after RFA ranges from 47-90% and is dependent on tumor size and proximity to bronchovascular structures. Local failure ranges from 10-47%, and tumors ≥ 3 cm have the highest rate of local recurrence. The most prevalent side effects are pneumothorax and reactive pleural effusion; hemorrhage is uncommon. Of note, observational series show no significant loss of lung function after IGTA. This expert review contextualizes limitations, complications and outcomes of IGTA in patients with stage I NSCLC.

Subspecialization in surgery is increasingly common and for great reasons. Over the past 20 years, there has been evidence in support of the link between subspecialization in the disciplines of orthopedic surgery, general, thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, and in interventional cardiology and better patient outcomes and technical advances in their respective fields. In addition, studies suggest that increased hospital and surgeon volume throughout surgery may lead to improved surgical outcomes. The degree of specialization has been shown to reduce operative mortality in a variety of procedures and highlights that the level of sophistication and fund of knowledge required within each area is so great that no one surgeon can "do it all" and do it well. Cardiac surgery has become more subspecialized; however, many still view coronary artery surgery as a generalist procedure. There is debate as to the relative contribution of hospital volume, surgeon volume, or degree of specialization on perioperative mortality following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. In this paper, we will discuss the current data supporting the need for specialization in coronary surgery and present arguments in favor of further specialization in this field.

Proximal control of the thoracic aorta during the open repair of thoracoabdominal aorta can be challenging. Various techniques have been developed to address these challenges, including the use of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and staged procedures, such as the conventional as well as frozen elephant trunk procedures. This paper is a brief review of the challenges and rationale behind some approaches.

Refractory angina is a debilitating disease with limited therapeutic options that is primarily caused by microvascular dysfunction and desertification. Toward addressing this unmet need, microvascular revascularization therapy has progressively evolved from the lizard heart-inspired transmyocardial revascularization to precisely inducing vascular endothelial growth factor with gene therapy. Gene therapy with adenoviral vehicles or naked modified ribonucleic acid is safe and shows early signs of clinical promise but has not yet been proven effective due to gaps in optimization.

A significant proportion of patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are considered at high risk for complications or mortality after lobectomy. The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) previously published important considerations in determining which patients are considered high risk. The current objective was to evaluate treatment options and important factors to consider during treatment selection for these high-risk patients.

Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), developed to avoid the potential complications of cardiopulmonary bypass, remains a subject of debate. Studies have demonstrated that off-pump CABG is associated with higher rates of incomplete revascularization, inferior graft patency, and increased reintervention rates compared to on-pump CABG, leading to worse outcomes. The theoretical neuroprotective and renal-protective benefits associated with off-pump CABG have not been definitively proven, with stroke and renal failure rates similar to those of on-pump CABG in both short- and long-term follow-up. Off-pump CABG presents technical challenges, contributing to a steep learning curve, and its effectiveness is dependent on surgeon and center experience. Lower-volume centers and surgeons performing off-pump CABG have shown increased rates of mortality and reintervention. Despite the potential cost savings by avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass, the need for repeat interventions and associated complications can lead to higher long-term healthcare costs. This paper advocates for a more selective use of off-pump CABG while maintaining on-pump CABG as the standard approach for patients with coronary artery disease.

A significant proportion of patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are considered at high risk for complications or mortality after lobectomy. The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) previously published an expert consensus document detailing important considerations in determining who is at high risk. The current objective was to evaluate treatment options and important factors to consider during treatment selection for these high-risk patients.

The Clinical Practice Standards Committee of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery assembled an expert panel and conducted a systematic review of the literature detailing studies directly comparing treatment options for high-risk patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A systematic search was performed to identify publications comparing outcomes following image-guided thermal ablation (IGTA), stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), and sublobar resection-the main treatment options applicable to high-risk patients with stage I NSCLC. There were no publications detailing completed randomized controlled trials comparing these treatment options. Several retrospective studies with comparisons were identified, some of which used large, population-based registries. The findings in 18 of these studies are summarized in this Expert Review article. Registry studies comparing IGTA with SABR in propensity-score matched patients with stage I NSCLC found no difference in overall survival. The use of thermal ablation was less frequent and had wider variation depending on geographic region as compared with SABR, however. Studies yielding high-quality data comparing SABR with sublobar resection have been limited. When comparing sublobar resection with IGTA, sublobar resection was associated with superior primary tumor control and overall survival in the retrospective cohort studies. Retrospective comparative studies are difficult to assess due to the inherent biases or treatment selection and the definitions of loco-regional control. Prospective randomized trials are needed to fully evaluate the outcomes of treatment options applicable to high-risk patients with early-stage lung cancer.

The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Clinical Practice Standards Committee (CPSC) previously published important considerations in determining who is at high risk for complications or mortality after lobectomy. Sublobar resection, stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, or image-guided thermal ablation is typically considered when the risks associated with lobectomy are high. The current objective was to evaluate important lung-nodule-related factors to consider during treatment selection for high-risk patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) continues to grow in popularity and has become the preferred mechanism for the treatment of aortic stenosis in most patients. Despite significant improvements in the safety of TAVR, complications remain inevitable. Aortic dissection, although rare, is a feared complication following TAVR. Aortic dissection after TAVR has been reported to occur in both the ascending and descending thoracic aorta and may occur acutely during valve placement or in a delayed fashion. Bicuspid aortic valve and ascending aortic aneurysm may increase the risk for Type A dissection following TAVR. Given the rarity of aortic dissection in TAVR, a high index of suspicion must be maintained to provide prompt diagnosis and management. Open surgical repair is the preferred treatment modality for type A aortic dissection, however endovascular management and conservative medical therapy can be utilized in select patients and are more commonly employed for type B dissection.