There are multiple considerations inside his or her head when a thoracic surgeon operates on a patient with lung cancer. I want to focus on two of them: how will the surgeon perform the operation and what part—how much—of the lung will the surgeon remove? A surgeon can gain access Read More
Author: alexlittle@att.net
Abraham Lincoln was more than just a good president; he literally saved our nation. Perhaps no one else available at that time could or would have led this country through the Civil War and gotten passed the 13th amendment permanently ending slavery. But he was a complex man as made Read More
These surgeons, about whom I have previously written, are two of the giants on whose shoulders the current generation of surgeons stands. They overlapped in time, interests and accomplishments. Both were innovative and creative and made seminal contributions to the development of surgery. Among other achievements these men developed eponymous Read More
Climate change is real and has affected the local weather which has dramatically changed since we moved to Tucson a decade ago. Let’s begin with last summer. It was one of the hottest and driest on record. We usually have a summer monsoon during July and August. The desert flora Read More
When I began my thoracic surgery practice in 1981 the prognosis for patients with esophageal cancer was worse than grim. It was a death sentence. The 10-year survival rate was close to zero. Happily, things have changed and outcomes are better. The SEER database now reports 10-year survival for new Read More
Several months earlier my wife encouraged me to join her in watching this TV show imported from England. Always ready to spend time with her it was an easy decision to acquiesce—but my expectations were modest. What a pleasant surprise. I found this British import to be quite enjoyable and Read More
Myasthenia Gravis (MG) means severe muscular weakness and that is exactly what patients experience. We know now that this neurologic disease is due to an autoimmune process in which patients develop antibodies which disrupt activation of muscles. These antibodies accomplish this by attacking the receptor side of the synapse linking Read More
Continuing to use the free time made available by retirement and the time at home encouraged by the commonsense response to Covid-19, my wife and I participated in a recent Zoom art class with six sessions. This was the most recent of a series we had previously attended in person. Read More
The thoracic outlet is the part of the body surrounded by the curvature of the first rib on each side; this is the base of the neck and the top of the chest. The blood vessels (arteries and veins) and nerves to the arm exit from the chest through this Read More
I recently participated in a Zoom session with my medical school classmates from the class of 1974 at Johns Hopkins. Like much that has transpired in this stressful year, with continuing concerns about ourselves and our loved ones, the encounter with my classmates caused me to look back and reminisce. Read More
