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Join us at the IASLC 2026 World Conference on Lung Cancer

The IASLC 2026 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) is going to be held in Seoul, Republic of Korea from September 12th to 15th, 2026: https://wclc.iaslc.org/

This year Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery (CCTS), along with its sister journals and books published by AME Publishing Company, will be featured at this exciting academic event. We look forward to connecting with our authors, editorial board members, and readers on this exciting occasion. You are warmly invited to visit us at Booth 708. For your convenience, the official exhibition hall floor plan is available for reference.

We look forward to meeting you onsite!

Latest Impact Factor for Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery: 0.7

We are pleased to announce that Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery (CCTS) has attained its latest impact factor for the 2025 citation year: 0.7.

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery2025 CiteScore Released: 1.3

We are pleased to announce that Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery (CCTS) has achieved its 2025 CiteScore: 1.3, ranking 372 out of 597 journals in the Surgery category and 88 out of 117 journals in the Physiology (medical) category. This milestone underscores our ongoing commitment to publishing impactful research in the field.

Reviewer of the Month (2026)

In 2026, CCTS reviewers continue to make outstanding contributions to the peer review process. They demonstrated professional effort and enthusiasm in their reviews and provided comments that genuinely help the authors to enhance their work.

Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding reviewers, with a brief interview of their thoughts and insights as a reviewer. Allow us to express our heartfelt gratitude for their tremendous effort and valuable contributions to the scientific process.

CCTS Annual Report 2025

We are delighted to present the 2025 Annual Report of Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery (CCTS). The journal has continued to expand its global presence, with an international editorial board, diverse authorship and readership, and growing website pageviews.

AME and Wolters Kluwer aim to expand access to global medical research through new collaboration

The agreement broadens the reach of nearly 50 Open Access titles, contributing globally to over 5,000 articles

October 2, 2025 — Wolters Kluwer Health announced a new collaboration with AME Publishing Company, an Open Access publisher specializing in medical journals and books, headquartered in Hong Kong, China.

Comprehensive Lung Cancer Care: A Continuum

This Series on “Comprehensive Lung Cancer Care: A Continuum” is edited by Dr. Donna E. Maziak from Division of Thoracic Surgery, Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, and Dr. Patrick J. Villeneuve from D Division of Thoracic Surgery, Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.

Interviews with Outstanding Authors (2026)

In 2026, many CCTS authors make outstanding contributions to our journal. Their articles published with us have received very well feedback in the field and stimulate a lot of discussions and new insights among the peers.

Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding authors who have been making immense efforts in their research fields, with a brief interview of their unique perspective and insightful view as authors.

Readers' Choice: Author Interviews

Welcome to Readers’ Choice: Author Interviews, our exclusive interview series where we connect with the authors behind the most-read papers published in our journal. In each feature, we dive into the inspiration, challenges, and discoveries that have captured the attention of our readers. Through these interviews, we aim to provide our readers with deeper insights into the work that is shaping the future of medicine and healthcare.

Interviews with Editorial Board Members

CCTS features a distinguished editorial board, the members of which continue to instill the power of their expertise for the journal’s development. By launching this column, we are glad to introduce to you some of them in the form of interviews, in which they will share their unique career experiences and perspectives. We believe their insights will shed light on the knowledge of related fields.

Interviews with Guest Editors

Over the years, a number of CCTS guest editors have made valuable contributions to the journal. This column features interviews with our guest editors, who graciously share their experience in scientific careers and provide insightful perspectives on the special series.

CCTS is officially indexed by Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI)

On March 20th, 2024, a confirmation letter reached the editorial office of Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery (CCTS) (Figure 1) that the journal has been selected for inclusion in the Web of Science™ (WoS). Articles published in CCTS after 2022, beginning with Vol 4, will be included in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), a product of WoS.

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Review Article

The evolving role of sublobar resection for non-small cell lung cancer: a narrative review

Riya Aggarwal, Nika Samadzadeh Tabrizi, Gregory Jones

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 August 2026)

PDF Full Text (38) Reporting Checklist Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Robotic thoracic trauma surgery: what is the role?

Hind Elhassan, Khalid Ajbna, Michael Cowen, Michael R. Gooseman

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 August 2026)

PDF Full Text (73) Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Upfront surgery in resectable stage III NSCLC: real-world outcomes and patient selection in the era of systemic perioperative therapies—a narrative review with an illustrative single-center experience

Nicola Rotolo, Benedetta Bazzoli, Elena Asteggiano, Davide Di Natale, Alberto Colombo, Dino La Salvia

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 August 2026)

PDF Full Text (26) Reporting Checklist Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Innovation in thoracic surgery: a narrative review of evidence, adoption and clinical impact

Federico Vaisitti, Marco Marcaccini, Chiara Grispi, Stefano Rudella, Simona Sobrero, Luca Errico, Francesco Leo

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 August 2026)

PDF Full Text (31) Reporting Checklist Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Case Series

Early experience with inhaled treprostinil in patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease awaiting lung transplantation: a single-center case series

Sodai Nagata, Gouji Toyokawa, Mitsuaki Kawashima, Chihiro Konoeda, Masaaki Sato

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 August 2026)

PDF Full Text (62) Reporting Checklist Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Surgical Technique

Surgical technique: sternal reconstruction using a three-dimensional printed polyetherketoneketone prosthesis

Rachit Gupta, Andrea West, Kenneth A. Kesler

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 August 2026)

PDF Full Text (23) Reporting Checklist Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Original Article

Direct lung ultrasonography as a complementary intraoperative tool for lobar graft assessment in lobar lung transplantation

Sho Murai, Yui Watanabe, Kazunori Ueda, Tatsuaki Watanabe, Takashi Hirama, Hisashi Oishi, Fumiko Tomiyama, Takeo Togo, Ken Onodera, Hirotsugu Notsuda, Takaya Suzuki, Hiromichi Niikawa, Masafumi Noda, Yoshinori Okada

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 August 2026)

PDF Full Text (18) Reporting Checklist Data Sharing Statement Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Original Article

A practical treatment strategy leading to open-window thoracostomy for complex empyema: a single-center cohort study

Takaya Sato, Kentaro Minegishi, Masatomo Miyata, Fumie Osuga, Keigo Sudo, Masaya Sogabe, Shunsuke Endo, Hiroyoshi Tsubochi

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 August 2026)

PDF Full Text (Video) (17) Reporting Checklist Data Sharing Statement Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Editorial Commentary

Dynamic airway collapse: more questions than answers?

Samuel Zoller, Gary S. Schwartz

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 June 2026)

PDF Full Text (71) Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Editorial Commentary

Occult N1 upstaging in non-small cell lung cancer: why lobectomy still matters

Yaniss Belaroussi, Pierre Felix, Jeremy Tricard, Matthieu Thumerel

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 June 2026)

PDF Full Text (68) Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Preoperative risk factors for complications in esophagectomy: a systematic review

Rashi Ramchandani, Adam Jaremek, Jharna Rathod, Alex Lee, Eddie Guo, Esra Rakab, Alaina Dhawan, Cole Munro, Kate Hurley, James Lisondra, Jillian Dhawan, Zaim Khan, Jamie Strain, William Klement, Risa Shorr, Erin Williams, Daniel Jones, Sebastien Gilbert

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 June 2026)

PDF Full Text (182) Reporting Checklist Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Advances in the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of intensive care unit-acquired weakness: a comprehensive narrative review

Baorui Zhang, Yuetong Zhai, Long Wang, Aiping Shen, Chang Chen; The Surgical Thoracic Alliance of Rising Star Group

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 June 2026)

PDF Full Text (201) Reporting Checklist Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Frailty in lung transplantation: a narrative review of evaluation, optimization, and outcomes

Jacquelyn B. Kercheval, Alison H. Mungo, Joshua B. Smith

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 June 2026)

PDF Full Text (109) Reporting Checklist Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Chronic lung allograft dysfunction: a narrative review of evolving concepts in diagnosis and management

Zehra Dhanani, Fatima Anjum, Kamyar Afshar

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 June 2026)

PDF Full Text (134) Reporting Checklist Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Solitary and multifocal ground glass opacities—a narrative review of current management and future directions in the face of increasing incidence of detection

Urhum Khaliq, Aaron Dezube, Whitney Burrows, Louis F. Chai

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 June 2026)

PDF Full Text (190) Reporting Checklist Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Original Article

Intercostal nerve cryoablation for postoperative analgesia following minimally invasive lung resection: a retrospective cohort study

Ian T. Winkeler, Alisa Khomutova, Susannah Oster, Ankit Dhamija

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 June 2026)

PDF Full Text (234) Reporting Checklist Data Sharing Statement Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Editorial Commentary

Tracheobronchoplasty for airway collapse: does the label matter?

Zander J. Williams, Giovanni Cenerini, Dylan Beinart, James H. Hull

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 April 2026)

PDF Full Text (101) Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Editorial Commentary

Endobronchial valve vs. lung volume reduction surgery, unconvinced

Ian A. Makey, Lana M Al-Botros

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 April 2026)

PDF Full Text (98) Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Editorial Commentary

The importance of baseline variables for when comparing bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) vs. lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS)

Amit Kumar Mahajan

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 April 2026)

PDF Full Text (87) Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Editorial Commentary

Intraoperative imaging and margin control in sublobar resection: a new dimension of surgical precision

Agathe Seguin-Givelet

Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery

2026;

(30 April 2026)

PDF Full Text (114) Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

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Clinical Guideline

Clinical consensus on preoperative pulmonary function assessment in patients undergoing pulmonary resection (first edition)

Gening Jiang, Lei Zhang, Yuming Zhu, Chang Chen, Xiao Zhou, Jinming Liu, Peng Zhang, Hao Wang, Boxiong Xie, Haifeng Wang, Lei Jiang, Jiang Fan, Deping Zhao, Qiankun Chen, Liang Duan, Wenxin He, Yiming Zhou, Hongcheng Liu, Xiaogang Zhao, Xiong Qin, Yang Yang, Ye Ning, Dong Xie, Jie Dai

Published online: 10 July 2019

PDF Full Text (24068) Open Access

Review Article

Radiologic diagnosis of tracheoesophageal fistula in children

Ercan Ayaz, Mithat Haliloglu

Published online: 25 August 2022

PDF Full Text (18006) COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Postoperative complications and long-term outcomes of tracheoesophageal fistula repair

Anastasia Almog, Augusto Zani

Published online: 25 August 2022

PDF Full Text (17505) COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Management of empyema: a comprehensive review

Eiichi Kanai, Noriyuki Matsutani

Published online: 25 November 2020

PDF Full Text (13289) COI Form Chinese (1749) Open Access

Review Article

Thoracic outlet syndrome: which surgical approach?

Fabio Davoli, Guido Staffa, Angelo Paolo Ciarrocchi, Franco Stella

Published online: 25 February 2021

PDF Full Text (10894) COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Current status and prospect of medical and surgical management for thoracic empyema

Mitsunori Higuchi, Hiroyuki Suzuki

Published online: 25 November 2020

PDF Full Text (10239) COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Management of congenital isolated H-type tracheoesophageal fistula

Cigdem Ulukaya Durakbasa

Published online: 25 August 2022

PDF Full Text (10036) COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Malignant tracheoesophageal fistula: diagnosis and management

Jahnavi Kakuturu, Ankit Dhamija, Alper Toker

Published online: 25 August 2022

PDF Full Text (9825) COI Form Open Access

Case Report

Mediastinal lymph node metastases in thyroid cancer: surgery without limits

Elena Marrama, Vittorio Aprile, Agnese Nesti, Diana Bacchin, Gabriele Materazzi, Marco Lucchi

Published online: 31 December 2019

PDF Full Text (8486) COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Anesthetic management of tracheo-esophageal fistula

Filiz Uzumcugil

Published online: 25 August 2022

PDF Full Text (7838) COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Flap reconstruction of the chest wall after oncologic resection

Juho Salo, Erkki Tukiainen

Published online: 25 February 2020

PDF Full Text (7264) COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Multiple pulmonary nodules: a management dilemma

Suha K. Kaaki, Thomas A. D’Amico

Published online: 25 November 2022

PDF Full Text (7154) COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Surgical stabilization of flail chest after trauma: when, why and how to do it?

Debora Brascia, Giulia De Iaco, Angela De Palma, Michele Costantino, Marcella Genualdo, Rosatea Quercia, Angela Fiorella, Giulia Nex, Marcella Schiavone, Francesca Signore, Teodora Panza, Federico Rea, Giuseppe Marulli

Published online: 25 August 2020

PDF Full Text (6896) COI Form Chinese (2196) Open Access

Review Article

Radiographic assessment of small lung nodules: what can we do and what information does it give us?

David J. Murphy, Ritu R. Gill

Published online: 25 November 2022

PDF Full Text (6131) COI Form Open Access

Original Article

Surgery in large anterior mediastinal mass: case series of Hospital Kuala Lumpur

Ammar Ahmad, Narasimman Sathiamurthy, Benedict Dharmaraj, Narendran Balasubbiah, Diong Nguk Chai, Amiruddin Nik Mohamed Kamil, Muthukkumaran Thiagarajan

Published online: 25 May 2021

PDF Full Text (5968) Reporting Checklist Data Sharing Statement Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Prognostic factors of resected lung cancer with chest wall involvement

Antonio Mazzella, Mauro Loi, Marco Alifano

Published online: 25 February 2020

PDF Full Text (5090) COI Form Chinese (1364) Open Access

Original Article

Titanium mesh in chest wall stabilization and reconstruction: a single center experience

Pio Maniscalco, Nicolò Fabbri, Francesco Quarantotto, Nicola Tamburini, Giorgio Cavallesco

Published online: 25 May 2020

PDF Full Text (5003) COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Atelectasis in one lung ventilation: the good, the bad, and the ugly: a narrative review

Jean S. Bussières, Edouard Marques

Published online: 14 September 2022

PDF Full Text (5068) Reporting Checklist Peer Review File COI Form Open Access

Review Article

Postoperative management and acute complications after lung transplantation

Osama Haddad, Mathew Thomas

Published online: 21 May 2021

PDF Full Text (4905) COI Form Open Access

Original Article

Tracheal surgery: still a challenge or a reality for thoracic surgeons?—A 30-month single-centre experience

Massimo Osvaldo Jaus, Maria Giovanna Mastromarino, Giuseppe Cardillo

Published online: 25 May 2020

PDF Full Text (4765) COI Form Open Access

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Current Challenges in Thoracic Surgery (ISSN: 2664-3278; Curr Chall Thorac Surg; CCTS) is an international peer-reviewed journal providing high-quality researches and information related to challenging issues on thoracic surgeries with an aim to improve current diagnosis and treatment of thoracic diseases. The journal focuses on current challenges, controversial issues and intractable situation of thoracic surgeries for pulmonary, tracheal, mediastinal, esophageal, and chest-wall diseases. It also dabbles in related specialties such as pulmonary medicine, transplantation, anesthesiology, pathology, imaging, biology, critical care medicine and nursing. More >>