Cardiothoracic Surgery refers to operations that treat diseases affecting the heart (cardio) and lungs (thoracic).

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Mesothelioma, lung cancer, Congenital heart disease, lung disease, pectus excavatum, thymoma, Aortic aneurysm, cardiovascular disease, Esophageal carcinoma, Pulmonary metastases, Chest wall tumors, esophageal diseases, Tracheal tumors, Malignant pleural effusions, and thoracic neoplasms.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including Lobectomy, Mediastinoscopy, mitral valve replacement, lung transplantation, Ventricular assist device, lung volume reduction, Aortic dissection, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG), Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, Mitral valve repair, Heart Transplantation, Miniminally invasive surgery (MIS), Ventricular Restoration (Dor Procedure), Video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS), Bullectomy, arrhythmia surgery, and thoracic aorta repairs.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including biopsy, x-ray, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), Upper GI (Barium Swallow), Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), and physicial examination.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Maryland has 125 practicing cardiothoracic surgeons. Broken out by city, cardiothoracic surgery doctor density in Annapolis is 5, in Baltimore is 51, in Berlin is 1, in Bethesda is 10, in Cambridge is 1, in Catonsville is 1, in Chestertown is 1, in Cheverly is 4, in Chevy Chase is 2, in Clinton is 2, in College Park is 1, in Columbia is 1, in Cumberland is 4, in Dundalk is 1, in Easton is 2, in Elkton is 2, in Ellicott City is 1, in Fort Washington is 1, in Frederick is 4, in Glen Arm is 1, in Glen Burnie is 1, in Greenbelt is 2, in Hagerstown is 2, in Halethorpe is 1, in Havre De Grace is 2, in Kensington is 1, in Lanham is 2, in Lutherville Timonium is 1, in Marion Station is 1, in Olney is 2, in Owings Mills is 1, in Oxon Hill is 2, in Pikesville is 6, in Prince Frederick is 4, in Riverdale is 4, in Rockville is 5, in Rosedale is 3, in Salisbury is 9, in Silver Spring is 3, in Takoma Park is 10, in Towson is 17, in Waldorf is 1, and in Westminster is 1.

Maryland was one of the thirteen original colonies, and achieved statehood in 1788. Maryland’s population is 5,600,388; Annapolis is its capital and home to the U.S. Naval Academy. Baltimore is the largest city, and is home to world-acclaimed Johns-Hopkins University and Hospital. There are myriad activities available for residents or visitors, including arts and theater, sports, museums, hiking, biking and walking trails, Famous people from Maryland include musician Frank Zappa, baseball great Babe Ruth, and Francis Scott Key, who wrote the “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

According to 2005 Census estimates, Maryland has a population of 5,600,388. Of this population, 1,360,481 are under the age of 18 and 641,040 are at or above the age of 65.