As the complexity of decision-making in medicine, and surgery in particular, is growing exponentially, this book provides a practical guide to decision-making in thoracic surgery. It offers guidance on how to select among the varied and complex approaches that new technology provides. Concise and easy to follow chapters are devoted to one or two specific questions or decisions in thoracic surgery, aiding the reader to develop their decision-making skills.
Difficult Decisions in Thoracic Surgery offers clearly formatted and evidence-based chapters to help the reader navigate the complexities of thoracic surgery. All new chapters bring insight into the challenges faced operating on the lung, esophagus, diaphragm, airway, pleaura, mediastinum, and chest wall.
The book is relevant to practicing surgeons, surgeons in training, as well as medical professionals working with thoracic diseases.
Mark K. Ferguson, MD, is Professor of Surgery at University of Chicago. He specializes in the surgical management of diseases of the chest. His most active areas of surgical management include lung cancer, benign and malignant esophageal diseases, mesothelioma, and thymoma.
Dr. Ferguson is the author of more than 120 chapters in medical textbooks. He has edited or written 10 books, and has completed 4 previous editions of Difficult Decisions in Thoracic Surgery. He is the editor for Difficult Decisions in Surgery, a series of books highlighting decision making in a variety of surgical subspecialties. He has also published more than 350 papers and abstracts in medical journals. Dr. Ferguson has a cumulative experience of more than 60 years in serving as a journal editor or deputy editor.
Among his research interests are risk analysis, long-term outcomes after cancer resection, development of simulation methods for surgical training, advanced techniques in surgical education, and factors that influence medical decision making including gender and racial/ethnic bias. His more recent areas of focus include diagnosis and mitigation of frailty, the use of traditional Chinese medicine in managing oncology patients, and the interface of artificial intelligence (AI) with thoracic surgery. His educational background includes an undergraduate degree from Harvard College and an MD degree from The University of Chicago. His surgical training and fellowship in medical education took place at The University of Chicago.
