[Thoracic surgery in Sweden; its structure and perspective (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Surgical Organization
• Oncology

Background:

• Thoracic surgery is a specialized field in Sweden, with treatment centralized in five dedicated hospitals.
• Three of these hospitals also perform open-heart surgery.
• The period 1969-1977 saw a 35% rise in thoracic interventions, attributed to increased lung cancer incidence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the current organization of thoracic surgery in Sweden.
• To determine if organizational changes are necessary based on recent trends and future projections.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study design.
• Analysis of intervention trends (1969-1977).
• Assessment of current organizational structure and service provision.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in lung, mediastinum, and chest wall interventions (35%) was observed from 1969 to 1977.
• The rise in interventions is linked to a growing number of patients with bronchogenic cancer.
• Peripheral vascular surgery is primarily conducted by general surgeons, and pacemaker surgeries occur in district hospitals.

Conclusions:

• The current organization of thoracic surgery in Sweden is effective.
• No immediate changes to the existing thoracic surgery organizational structure are recommended based on the study's findings.