Thoracic surgery in Egypt

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Surgical Practice in Egypt
• Healthcare Systems

Background:

• General thoracic surgery in Egypt is primarily performed by cardiothoracic surgeons due to a scarcity of dedicated thoracic surgeons.
• Egypt's thoracic surgery sector grapples with resource limitations, a high prevalence of tuberculosis, trauma, and foreign body inhalation, and a low surgeon-to-population ratio.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the current landscape, challenges, and future perspectives of thoracic surgery in Egypt.
• To highlight the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on thoracic surgical practice and patient care.

Main Methods:

• The study is based on a review of the current state of thoracic surgery in Egypt, including surgeon demographics, prevalent conditions, technological adoption, and pandemic-related effects.
• Analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on surgical workloads and the emergence of opportunistic screening for early-stage lung cancer.

Main Results:

• Despite challenges, specialized centers are advancing with video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and complex procedures.
• The COVID-19 pandemic led to reduced elective surgeries but facilitated increased detection and treatment of early-stage lung cancer via CT screening.
• There is a growing interest among junior surgeons, indicating a potentially brighter future for the specialty.

Conclusions:

• Egyptian thoracic surgeons are navigating significant challenges but show optimism for the future, driven by increasing interest from younger surgeons.
• The pandemic, while disruptive, has inadvertently created opportunities for early lung cancer detection and treatment in Egypt.