Thoracic Key

Introduction Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable premature morbidity and mortality in the United States and in many countries around the world. An average of 443,000 people in…

Introduction As the leading cause of cancer death in the world, lung cancer is currently a public health problem of enormous magnitude. In 2008 more than 1.6 million people were…

Introduction The lung is a common site for metastasis of malignant tumors from other organs. Logic would suggest that the lung is such a common destination for metastasis because it…

Introduction Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are chronic inflammatory airway diseases that result from an interaction between genetic or host susceptibility and different environmental exposures. Both airway diseases…

Introduction Asthma is one of the oldest known diseases, but it has only been recognized as a major public health problem since the mid-1970s. The prevalence of asthma has increased…

Introduction Pathogenic parasites that involve the lungs include multicellular helminths as well as unicellular protozoa. Although parasitic infections have classically been associated with tropical and subtropical regions, some are prevalent…

Introduction Soon after the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 1882 by Robert Koch, several other species of mycobacteria were described. It was not until half a century later, however, that…

Introduction Patients undergoing thoracic surgeries are different from those undergoing most noncardiac surgeries. Although the risk for perioperative major cardiac complications is significant, postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) contribute equally, if…

Introduction Bioterrorism, once limited to military-directed biowarfare, has developed considerable prominence due to increasing world threats and the anthrax outbreak in the United States in 2001. Clinicians and public health…

Introduction Cough is a symptom that has been experienced by every human and is an essential innate protective mechanism that ensures the removal of mucus, noxious substances, and infections from…