Anesthesia for thoracic surgery in the oncology patient

Thoracic surgery is a surgical discipline that has its birth and rapid development in the twentieth century. The welfare of patients undergoing these complex procedures is dependent on the combined skills of the surgeon and the anesthesiologist. This article reviews the surgical aspects and potential complications of various thoracic oncology procedures. It is hoped that presenting these procedures from a surgical perspective will allow anesthesiologists to better plan and conduct anesthetics in these challenging patients.