The Division provides consultative and therapeutic services for the surgical treatment of cardiac, pulmonary, and esophageal diseases. The division offers a full complement of cardiac services for acquired heart disease, congenital heart disease, and transplantation. For acquired heart disease, there are programs in coronary artery bypass grafting, valve repair and replacement, treatment of thoracic aneurysms, and the insertion of pacemakers and electrical defibrillators.
The division has extensive experience in the treatment of congenital cardiac lesions including the arterial switch procedure, use of homographs, and the Fontan and unifocalization procedures. The division also has extensive experience in the treatment of adults with congenital heart disease. Transplant activities include heart, heart-lung, and lung transplantation and assist devices. Referrals for cardiac services can be made to the individual faculty members shown, or may be channeled through the general information and referral service of the division office. Referrals for transplantation are made through the transplant programs listed.
Thoracic Surgery
The UCLA Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery has a rich tradition of dedicated Thoracic Surgeons that provide expert surgical services to patients with all types of benign and malignant diseases of the chest.
UCLA is one of the busiest Thoracic Surgery Programs in the Western United States.
Our Thoracic Surgeons are specialized in non-cardiac thoracic pathology. This includes, but is not limited to, the following conditions and operations:
Lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema
Thoracic sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis
First rib resection for thoracic outlet syndrome
Surgical removal of benign and malignant tumors
Airway tumor
Barrett’s esophagus
Chest wall tumor
Esophageal cancer
Germ cell tumor
Lung nodule, lung cancer, and lung metastasis
Mediastinal tumor
Mesothelioma
Neurogenic tumor
Sarcoma
Thymoma and other thymic tumors
Surgical repair of chest wall deformity: pectus excavatum, pectus carinatum
Surgery for benign esophageal diseases: achalasia, gastroesophageal reflux disease
We use all the latest technology when appropriate, including lasers, bronchial and esophageal stents, minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery, and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), and computer-assisted robotic surgery.
Thoracic Surgery at UCLA offers patients admitted to the Thoracic Surgery Service with a team of doctors, case managers, nurses, nurse practioners, physical and occupational therapists, respiratory technicians, and social workers committed to the care of individuals with chest diseases.