When air leaks out of the lung it collapses and leaves a space around it. The medical term for a collapsed lung is a pneumothorax.

Excessive, uncontrollable sweating of the hands or palms, is called palmar hyperhidrosis. If it happens in the armpits it is called axillary hyperhidrosis. It may also happen in the face but usually it causes facial blushing. This medical condition is an extremely stressful, embarrassing, and confidence-wrecking problem. From ruined paperwork to slippery handshakes, sweaty palms can negatively impact your social life, education, and career.

Thymectomy is removal of the thymus gland; the gland helps the immune system when you are a child but shrinks with age and may be absent in the elderly. The thymus normally lies in front of your heart, behind the breastbone.

Thymectomy may be recommended because the gland has a tumour in it (thymoma) or to improve the symptoms of myasthenia gravis (MG).

The chances of improvement in symptoms for younger people with MG are:

• 1 in 4 people improve so much they don’t need medication
• 2 in 4 people improve but still need some medication
• 1 in 4 people don’t improve

Most people with funnel chest or pigeon chest accept and live happily with the shape of their chest. Some people may have problems such has chest pain or difficulty breathing during exercise, but most people don’t. There may be psychological effects such as low self-confidence or negative self-image.

Lung cancer is the greatest cancer killer amongst all body cancers. It kills more than the cancers of the breast, bowel and prostate combined!

The best chance for cure is surgery. You will need to ‘map’ the cancer in your body and then have a treatment plan. This will need a number of specialties  to work together, including which we (as your surgeon) play a pivotal role.