Research & Projects
ThORN accelerates practice-changing thoracic surgery research through a multi-institutional cooperative. We connect more than 40 sites, blend database and qualitative methods, and elevate both trainees and faculty to lead meaningful, actionable projects.
How We Work
Collaborative protocols, shared data infrastructure, and pragmatic study designs let us answer low-volume but high-impact questions in thoracic surgery.
Active
Multicenter Thoracic Surgery Registry (MTSR)
Resident-led registry for low-volume clinical questions in thoracic surgery combining STS GTSD, NCDB, and granular EHR data elements. Currently 16 institutions enrolled.
First project: Comparing neoadjuvant vs. peri-operative chemo-IO outcomes for resected NSCLC.
Published (2025)
Wedge Resection Quality Consensus
Delphi-process consensus defining indications for wedge resection in lung cancer and what constitutes a high-quality wedge resection; 30 institutions participated.
Annals of Thoracic Surgery (Articles in Press, Jan 8, 2025)
Active
Pneumomediastinum Management
Study on management strategies for pneumomediastinum across institutions.
Active
Robotic Intraoperative Emergencies
Collaborative project cataloging and improving responses to robotic thoracic surgery emergencies.
Active
Implementation of ePROs into Practice
Integrating electronic patient-reported outcomes into thoracic surgery practice and measuring impact.
Published (2020)
COVID-19 Triage Guidelines for Thoracic Operations
Rapidly developed consensus triage guidelines for thoracic malignancy operations during COVID-19 resource constraints.
Annals of Thoracic Surgery & JTCVS (2020)
Published (2021)
Institutional Factors & Adherence to Quality Measures (Stage I/II NSCLC)
Analysis of institutional factors linked to adherence to quality measures in early-stage NSCLC.
J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 162(3): 649–660.e8
Published (2021)
Administrative and Clinical Databases — General Thoracic Surgery Perspective
Guidance on approaches and pitfalls when using administrative and clinical databases for thoracic surgery research.
J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 162(4): 1146–1153
Published
Food Deserts Increase Readmission After Esophagectomy for Cancer
Multi-institutional study linking food deserts to readmission risk after esophagectomy for cancer.
Ann Thorac Surg. 116(2): 246–253
Published
Optimizing Health Before Elective Thoracic Surgery — Systematic Review
Systematic review of modifiable risk factors and opportunities for health services research pre-operatively.
Journal of Thoracic Disease, Vol 11, Supplement 4 (March 15, 2019)
Published
Regionalization of Esophagectomy — Where Are We Now?
Current state of esophagectomy regionalization and implications for outcomes.
Journal of Thoracic Disease, Vol 11, Supplement 12 (August 19, 2019)
Published (2023)
Lessons Learned by Thoracic Surgeons During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Insights from thoracic surgeons on practice changes and lessons learned through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Journal of Thoracic Disease, Vol 15, No 2 (February 28, 2023)