The Thoracic Surgery unit at the Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, affiliated with the Canary Islands Government's Ministry of Health, carries out an average of 310 operations annually. Of these, 90 are major anatomical lung resections, such as the removal of a complete lobe or the entire lung.
The professionals handle a wide range of pulmonary and thoracic pathologies, including those requiring reconstructive bronchovascular surgery, emphysema treatment, and advanced care for pneumothorax and pleural effusion.
The unit utilizes everything from traditional open surgery to the latest minimally invasive approaches, such as advanced video-assisted thoracoscopy, which uses small incisions, and robotic surgery, with which approximately 55 interventions are performed annually.
Since 2024, the unit has implemented an enhanced recovery program that optimizes patient recovery and discharge times, achieving an average hospital stay of less than five days.
The medical team conducts over 2,000 consultations per year and is organized to provide 24-hour continuous emergency care through a on-call system.
The service portfolio also includes, on occasion, complex thoracic wall and diaphragm interventions, as well as procedures on sweat glands to treat hyperhidrosis, and comprehensive management of thoracic trauma with costal fixation when indicated.
In the oncological field, professionals collaborate in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in coordination with the departments of Medical Oncology, Radiology, Pathological Anatomy, Radiation Oncology, and Hospital Pharmacy, participating in weekly multidisciplinary committee meetings to analyze each case.
