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Cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery, as well as aortic medicine, are being consolidated into a single clinic / The new structure improves interdisciplinary care for complex patients / Thoracic surgery remains reliably accessible

The Medical Center – University of Freiburg is further developing its surgical departments to provide even more reliable care for patients with severe or complex conditions. To this end, the former Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and the Department of Thoracic Surgery were merged on July 1, 2026, to form the joint Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery and Aortic Medicine. The Medical Director of the new department is Prof. Dr. Martin Czerny, who previously headed the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and had also served as acting director of the Department of Thoracic Surgery since October 1, 2025.

“For patients and their families, a heart or lung condition often raises many questions and uncertainties,” says Czerny. “With this combined department, we are creating a structure in which closely related surgical specialties can collaborate even more closely. This will particularly benefit patients with complex conditions affecting the heart, chest, blood vessels, and aorta. At the same time, the established thoracic surgery care in Freiburg will be further expanded.” 

With this new structure, the Medical Center – University of Freiburg is bringing together expertise in cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, thoracic surgery, and aortic medicine even more closely—from specialized diagnostics through surgical treatment to intensive care and follow-up care. 

Continuity in Thoracic Surgery 

For the field of thoracic surgery, the new clinical structure means continuity. The existing range of thoracic surgical services will be maintained and further expanded in the future. The current referral pathways, processes, and points of contact will also remain in place. The thoracic surgery outpatient clinic will continue to serve as the central point of contact. All existing services, including bronchological diagnostics and therapy, will be maintained. The existing services in pulmonary functional diagnostics will continue to be offered at the same high quality and will be further developed on an interdisciplinary basis in collaboration with the Department of Pneumology.

Dr. Till Plönes has been newly appointed as Head of the Thoracic Surgery Section. “Thoracic surgery will remain reliably accessible to patients, referring physicians, and collaborating partners,” says Plönes. “We will continue to provide the existing range of services and aim to further develop care within the new structure from a professional standpoint. It is particularly important to us that patients receive excellent support even in complex situations and that their treatment is clearly coordinated.”

The thoracic surgery program at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg continues to focus in particular on complex oncological thoracic surgery, including procedures for lung, mediastinal, pleural, and chest wall tumors; minimally invasive procedures, including video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and robot-assisted thoracic surgery; procedures on the trachea and central airways; as well as surgery for metastases, pleural surgery, and surgical treatment of infections. In addition, the program offers functional thoracic surgical procedures such as lung volume reduction and diaphragmatic plication, the management of thoracic trauma, the correction of thoracic deformities, and lung transplantation.

The established channels of communication remain available for referrals, second opinions, and interdisciplinary case consultations. Complex clinical courses, imaging findings, and treatment options can be discussed by phone, via video conference, or through direct professional consultation.