[Progress in thoracic surgery since 1980]

Modern thoracic surgery was born at about the time the Swiss Surgical Society was founded. Tuffier, Rehn, Lilienthal, Thorek were some of the pioneers. Today the important developments are esophagectomy without thoracotomy, the routine performance of cardiac transplantation and the emergence of lung transplantation. The past, present and future of these developments are outlined.