There was a specific surgical discipline of thoracic surgery by 1940. Its main focus was tuberculosis and bronchiectasis. It gradually evolved as a surgical treatment of organs inside the chest and rib cage that mainly includes lung (lung diseases), esophagus, and thymus. 

Oftentimes, thoracic surgery is interchangeably used with cardiothoracic surgery and cardiovascular surgery. However, all three of them are separate medical specialties and focus on different organs and human diseases. So, it would be wrong to call them one.

Who Performs Thoracic Surgeries? 

All surgeries that come under the umbrella of thoracic surgery are performed by highly-qualified and experienced thoracic surgeons or lung specialists. 

At our thoracic surgery center (ICTS), DR. Aneej performs most of the thoracic surgeries. He is a senior thoracic surgeon with several years of experience in various thoracic surgeries. He is a well-known robot-assisted specialist of cardiothoracic surgery in Singapore. By now, he has successfully performed a large number of thoracic and robotic surgeries at ICTS.

Typically, a  thoracic surgeon is someone who pursues years of medical education and training to become a fully qualified thoracic surgeon. It comprises an undergraduate degree (in pre-med), a medical degree, and years of practice.

What Diseases and Conditions Does Thoracic Surgery Deal With? 

As we mentioned above, thoracic surgery deals with the organs inside the thorax (the chest) and rib cage. That means, it mainly treats lung, esophagus, thymus, and trachea related diseases. Such diseases include:

• Lung Cancer
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Pleural effusion 
• Pneumothorax
• Oesophageal cancer
• Pulmonary nodules
• Tracheal tumors and tracheal stenosis
• Thymoma and thymic carcinoma

What are the Possible Symptoms of Thoracic Diseases? 

Thoracic diseases have different symptoms depending on what type of disease or medical condition it is. It also depends on the stage of the disease. They may be different for men and women as they depend on various factors. 

Let’s check out some most common lung diseases and their possible signs and symptoms. 

Symptoms for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is commonly referred to as COPD. It is a group of progressive lung diseases that mainly includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. This lung disease blocks airflow and makes it difficult to breathe for the patient. The possible signs and symptoms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) include:

• Shortness of breath
• Chronic cough 
• Dry cough 
• Wheezing
• Frequent respiratory infections
• Fatigue 
• Chest pressure
• Sudden weight loss 
• Loss of muscles  

Symptoms for Lung Cancer 

Lung cancer is a life-threatening lung disease. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the world. It is a type of cancer that begins in the lungs due to the uncontrollable growth of cells. Mainly, it occurs in those people who smoke and consume certain toxins. However, it can also occur in those people who have never smoked. It is a condition in which cells grow out of control. 

The possible signs and symptoms for lung cancer often do not appear in the initial stage, but once it gets advanced, patients may experience:

• Dry cough (often with blood)
• Chest pain
• Wheezing 
• Sudden weight loss
• Fatigue 
• Loss of appetite
• Weakness 
• Frequent respiratory infections 
• Hoarseness 

Symptoms of Pleural Effusion

Pleural effusion is also referred to as “water on lungs” or “fluid in the chest”. There is an excessive fluid build-up between the tissues that line the lungs and the chest. 

The possible signs and symptoms of pleural effusion are:

• Shortness of breath 
• Coughing
• Sharp chest pain 

Symptoms of Pneumothorax

Pneumothorax is a collapsed lung. It is a condition in which air leaks into the space between the lung and chest wall. This leaked air puts pressure on the outside of your lung and makes it collapse. 

The possible signs and symptoms of pleural effusion are:

• Sudden chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Fast heart rate 
• Coughing 

Symptoms of Oesophageal Cancer

Oesophageal Cancer is a type of cancer that occurs anywhere in the esophagus (sometimes called food pipe or gullet). The esophagus is a tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. Oesophageal Cancer mainly occurs due to smoking and acidic reflux in your body. 

The possible signs and symptoms of Oesophageal Cancer are:

• Heartburn
• Hoarseness
• Unintentional weight loss
• Chest pain
• Coughing 
• Indigestion

Symptoms of Pulmonary Nodules

Pulmonary Nodules are also called “Lung Nodules.” They are round-shaped small masses of tissue in the lungs. They can be spotted as round-shaped shadows on a chest X-Ray or computerized tomography. They can be cancerous. 

The possible signs and symptoms of Pulmonary Nodules include:

• Wheezing 
• Coughing 
• Coughing up blood 
• Shortness of breath 
• Fever

Symptoms of Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma

Thymoma and thymic carcinoma are conditions in which malignant cells form on the outside surface of the thymus (a small organ that lies in the upper chest under the breastbone). 

The patients with thymoma and thymic carcinoma do not have many symptoms. But they may experience the following symptoms:

• Persistent cough 
• Shortness of breath 
• Chest pain and pressure in the chest

What are the Most Common Causes of Lung Diseases?

Different types of lung diseases occur due to different reasons. However, there are certain causes that are common for most lung diseases. Let’s check out those common causes of lung diseases.  

The Most Common Causes of Lung Diseases

• Smoking 
• Air pollution
• Household elements that include asbestos, bird protein, mold, and radon 
• Certain medical conditions such as alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, lupus, pulmonary vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, and undifferentiated connective tissue disease
• Certain treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy 
• Family history

Types of Lung Screening and Lung Surgeries A Thoracic Surgeon Performs

A thoracic surgeon performs different types of lung screening and surgeries for different lung diseases. A few of them are as follows: 

Early CT-CDT Screening 

Early CT-CDT lung screening is simply screening of your lungs to detect if you have any lung disease such as lung cancer. In this process, firstly, a thoracic surgeon performs a consultation session with you to discuss your problem and explain to you about the whole screening process. After that, the surgeon tests your blood to identify if you have an increased risk of lung cancer. He/she also performs low-dose computed tomography (CT-Scan) to see the detailed image of your lungs and to identify if you have any lung disease. This scan is painless and done within a minute. After performing blood tests and scans, the surgeon reviews your scans and prepares a final report for further procedures. 

Open Surgery For Lung Diseases 

Open surgery for lung diseases is a type of surgery where a thoracic surgeon makes a cut in particular part of the chest of the patient, opens the chest, then performs the surgery on the lungs, esophagus, thymus, or trachea as required. This is the traditional method of lung surgery. According to Wikipedia, it was discovered by Wilfred G. Bigelow of the University of Toronto. 

These types of surgeries have certain limitations and pose risks such as:

• They require big incisions on the chest 
• Can lead to too much blood loss
• Can lead to a blood clot
• Slow recovery process 
• Longer hospital stay 
• Longer bed rest 

Minimally-Invasive Surgery 

As the name suggests, minimally-invasive surgery is a method of performing different surgical treatments with less blood loss, less pain, small incisions, a shorter hospital stay, and fewer complications. It is a recently developed and discovered method of performing surgical treatments. 

In this surgery, a surgeon uses different techniques and tools to minimize the possible damages to the patient's body. Robot-assisted or robotic surgery is one of the best and fastest adopted minimally-invasive surgeries.

In robotic surgery, a surgeon performs various surgeries using robots or machines. This leads to fewer damages to the patient’s body. 

This is useful for both the patients and surgeons. Here are a few advantages of robotic surgery.

Advantages of Robotic Surgery for Patients

• It does not damage the patient’s body 
• It minimizes the blood loss
• It leads to less pain
• It does not lead to noticeable scars on the patient’s body 
• It promotes faster recovery 
• It leads to fewer complications and risks
• It allows patients to have a short hospital stay
• It allows patients to easily survive the post-surgery period 
• It does not lead to surgical site infection post-surgery

Advantages of Robotic Surgery for Surgeons 

• It provides flexibility to surgeons for conveniently and quickly performs the surgery 
• It helps surgeons perform complex surgeries with more precision 
• It provides full control to surgeons
• It helps surgeons avoid the mess on and around the surgical site

These are some of the widely adopted lung screening methods and lung surgeries that thoracic surgeons perform for different types of surgical treatments of lung, trachea, thymus, and esophagus related diseases. 

In the end, we hope this piece of comprehensive reading has been informative and useful for you. For such health and medical field related information, stay in touch with us.

Have you ever noticed yourself sweating too much despite not performing any physical activity and not having any type of stress? If yes, it may be a sign of hyperhidrosis. Now, you might be wondering what hyperhidrosis is. Alright, if you want to know, we are here to explain it to you. 

In this piece of writing, you will explore almost everything important about hyperhidrosis, its causes, Its symptoms, and its treatments and medications. Let’s start with the basics of hyperhidrosis. 

What is Hyperhidrosis?  

Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes abnormal excessive sweating either in the whole body or in some specific areas of the body like the palm, feet, and armpits. It does not necessarily happen due to performing physical activity or having too much stress and being anxious. It usually happens abnormally in the daylight. 

In this condition, you may sweat too much and it is possible that your clothes get completely wet and the sweat drips off your fingertip. This is not a life-threatening condition, but yes, it can cause social anxiety, stress, and embarrassment. And that’s why you must consult with a specialist doctor if you ever experience excessive sweating. 

Different Types Of Hyperhidrosis

Primarily, there are two types of hyperhidrosis that are:

Primary Hyperhidrosis- This type of hyperhidrosis is more common than secondary hyperhidrosis. It is a condition that causes abnormal excessive sweating without any underlying medical condition. The causes cannot be easily identified in this condition. However, the medical experts estimate that it may be hereditary as normally it occurs in childhood and after puberty. 

The following may trigger primary hyperhidrosis’ symptoms.

• Eating too much spicy food
• Consuming caffeine
• Hot atmosphere
• Exercising 
• Stress and anxiety
• Consuming alcohol and drugs

Secondary Hyperhidrosis- This type of hyperhidrosis is more common in adults. It is a condition that causes abnormal excessive sweating due to an underlying medical condition or due to consuming prescribed medicines and supplements that pose certain side effects.

Focal Hyperhidrosis and Generalized Hyperhidrosis

Focal hyperhidrosis is a condition in which excessive sweating is localized, meaning it occurs in specific areas such as hands, palms, armpits, feet, groin, and under the breast. This is considerably more common than generalized hyperhidrosis. 

Generalized hyperhidrosis is a condition in which excessive sweating affects the entire body. 

What are The Causes of Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating)?

Sweating is a natural process of the human body system to cool itself. It occurs when the human body’s temperature rises. Normally, the human body’s temperature rises due to performing hardcore physical activities (such as running, exercising, lifting, pulling, etc.). Stress, anxiety, and warm weather may also increase the human body's temperature. So, these are some situations that trigger sweating. 

But if we talk about excessive sweating, there are two different scenarios.

First- Primary Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating)

In this case, medical causes are unknown. As we mentioned earlier, it may be hereditary. 

Second- Secondary Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating)

In this case, the causes can be identified. 

The following medical conditions and diseases may trigger secondary hyperhidrosis. 

• Heart problems/disease
• Diabetes 
• Infections 
• Obesity 
• Hormone imbalances
• Cancer 

What Are The Symptoms of Hyperhidrosis? 

Of course, excessive sweating itself is a sign or symptom of hyperhidrosis. Putting it into more detail, the symptoms of hyperhidrosis are: 

• Clammy and wet palms
• Clammy and wet feet 
• Wet face 
• Wet scalp
• Wet armpits
• The wet private part of the body

This much wetness can lead to the following problems. 

• Skin irritation 
• Body odor
• Stained and smelly clothes
• Fungal and bacterial infections 
• Self-conscious
• Reluctant to make any type of physical contact with other persons
• Embarrassment
• Low in confidence 
• Stress and anxiety 
• Depression 

These symptoms can be noticed in the day, not during sleeping hours in the night. The reasons are unknown behind this. 

The Seriousness of These Symptoms

These symptoms seem like a minor issue. However, it is not so. They are dangerous if they strike the mental health of the patients. When the patients notice these symptoms in their bodies, they feel embarrassed. And they break up from inside when they face awful reactions and comments from people due to their excessive sweating problem. They start maintaining distance from other persons, want to live alone for a longer time, and always think about how to face people. This type of situation puts them into deep sadness which turns into serious diseases. So, you should never take it lightly. You should consult a specialized doctor and take treatment and medications as soon as possible. 

Diagnosis, Treatments, and Medications 

When you will meet a specialized doctor, he/she may ask you to show your medical history and symptoms. You will have to show him if you have any. It is important because your doctor will determine whether or not your excessive sweating condition is linked to your chronic disease. He may also ask you for a few tests such as urine tests, blood tests, sweat tests, and other lab tests for further evaluation of your condition. These tests, medical history, and symptoms will help your doctor find out the possible causes behind your excessive sweating condition. 

He may also ask you several questions such as:

• How often do you experience excessive sweating in a week? 
• Do you experience excessive sweating during sleep? 
• Does excessive sweating affect your mental state and behavior, especially when you are in public? 
• Do you carry napkins, towels, cotton pads, or antiperspirant to deal with episodes of excessive sweating? 
• How often do you think about your condition and how to deal with this? 
• Have you ever faced any negative reaction or comment due to this condition? 
• How often do you take shower or wash your body’s most affected areas? 
• Do your clothes get too wet in sweat? 
• Does this affect your employment? 

You will have to rightly answer all these questions so that your doctor can determine what type of treatment, surgery, and medications are the most suitable for you.

He may initially try to find out whether it is primary hyperhidrosis or secondary hyperhidrosis. If it is primary hyperhidrosis, he may try to find if it is hereditary. And if it is secondary hyperhidrosis, he will try to find if any underlying medical condition is the reason behind your excessive sweating condition. For this, he may check for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) by taking your blood and urine samples. 

Treatments

If the doctor will find any underlying condition causing your hyperhidrosis, he will treat that first. If any causes cannot be identified, he will try to control the excessive sweating by different treatments and medications. 

Here are some treatments for hyperhidrosis.

Sympathectomy Surgery 

According to the medical experts, this hyperhidrosis surgery Singapore is a permanent solution to axillary hyperhidrosis (sweaty underarms) and palmar hyperhidrosis (sweaty palms). During this surgery, a surgeon cuts or burns the spinal nerve that carries a message to the sweat glands to control the overproduction of sweat in hands and armpits.  

Microwave Therapy 

During this therapy, a device delivers high wave energy at sweat glands thereby destroying them. Normally, this treatment requires 20-30 sessions. 

Sweat Glands Removal

This is an appropriate treatment if the patient only has excessive sweating in his armpits. In this treatment, a minimally invasive technique called suction curettage is used to remove the sweat glands. 

Neurotoxin Therapy

In this treatment, neurotoxins injections are given to the patient at sweat glands to block the nerves that trigger the sweat glands for sweat production. This treatment provides temporary relief to the patient for up to at least six months. For receiving effective results, a patient may need a series of neurotoxins injections. 

Medications and Natural Remedies

Antiperspirants- Antiperspirants can be temporary solutions for hyperhidrosis. Your doctor may suggest prescription or non-prescription antiperspirants such as aluminum chloride. This can be combined with topically applied creams for receiving effective results.

A Prescription Cream- A prescription cream may help you get relief from the face and head excessive sweating. It contains glycopyrrolate. 

Nerve-Blocking Medicines- Some medicines and drugs focus on blocking the certain nerves that trigger the sweat glands for sweat production. These medicines can help in specific cases. 

Medicines to Treat Underlying Medical Condition- When your hyperhidrosis is linked with an underlying condition, the doctor provides you those medicines and drugs that can treat your underlying medical condition. The underlying medical conditions can involve overactive thyroid, low blood sugar, heart diseases, diabetes, hormone imbalance, etc. Once the doctor treats your underlying medical condition, then he again examines the hyperhidrosis to see if there are more medications or treatment required. 

Antidepressants- In some cases, your doctor may prescribe you some antidepressants to reduce your depression level. This can also help you reduce sweat production in specific areas of your body or the entire body. 

That’s almost all the important things you must know about hyperhidrosis. If you ever face hyperhidrosis, you should not ignore it considering it a minor issue, rather you should meet a specialist doctor as soon as possible. We hope this reading has been interesting and informative for you. For such more information, keep in touch with us.