Cardiothoracic Surgery refers to operations that treat diseases affecting the heart (cardio) and lungs (thoracic).

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Mesothelioma, lung cancer, Congenital heart disease, lung disease, pectus excavatum, thymoma, Aortic aneurysm, cardiovascular disease, Esophageal carcinoma, Pulmonary metastases, Chest wall tumors, esophageal diseases, Tracheal tumors, Malignant pleural effusions, and thoracic neoplasms.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including Lobectomy, Mediastinoscopy, mitral valve replacement, lung transplantation, Ventricular assist device, lung volume reduction, Aortic dissection, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG), Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, Mitral valve repair, Heart Transplantation, Miniminally invasive surgery (MIS), Ventricular Restoration (Dor Procedure), Video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS), Bullectomy, arrhythmia surgery, and thoracic aorta repairs.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including biopsy, x-ray, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), Upper GI (Barium Swallow), Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), and physicial examination.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Kansas has 42 practicing cardiothoracic surgeons. Broken out by city, cardiothoracic surgery doctor density in Halstead is 1, in Hays is 1, in Kansas City is 10, in Leavenworth is 2, in Lenexa is 1, in Olathe is 2, in Overland Park is 4, in Salina is 1, in Shawnee is 2, in Shawnee Mission is 2, in Topeka is 5, and in Wichita is 21.

Kansas was admitted to the United States in 1861. Topeka is its capital city, and the population of Kansas is 2,744,687. Topeka offers sports and recreation, arts and cultural entertainment, and casinos to residents and visitors. Lucas claims to be the Folk Art center of the United States. Visit the Pony Express National Historic Trail, tour historic Fort Leavenworth, or see the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum in Atchinson. Kansas is also home to the John Brown Museum, which was a stop on the Underground Railroad in the mid-1800s.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Kansas has a population of 2,744,687. Of this population, 652,270 are under the age of 18 and 354,995 are at or above the age of 65.