Dr. Thomas Birdas
Thoracic Surgery
Milton, KY
27 years experience male
Locations
Office
Practice website
About
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Thoracic Surgery
Languages spoken
English
Doctor Q&A
53 Answers
48 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
It's a reflex: To protect the trachea from being blocked (which would lead to death) or the lungs from developing an infection.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Yes: Is your weight 105 lbs or kg? If it kg then that is definitely not normal.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Yes: Although there are different types and not all originate in the lung.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Several: While the survival of esophageal cancer patients is not very high, as most present with advanced stages, those who do survive may very well have norma... Read More
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Yes: Second-hand smoke can be as dangerous as smoking itself. A lot depends on the length of exposure to second-hand smoke.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Fast-spreading: While the growth of the tumor may be slow at first, esophageal cancer is a very aggressive neoplasm that can spread to lymph nodes and other organs ra... Read More
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Unlikely: Many are asymptomatic. Some may have chest pressure symptoms - chest pain, palpitations. Muscle weakness may be seen in a few patients with thymoma.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
No: After the liver, the lungs are the most common distant site of colorectal metastases. In selected patients, removal of such lesions may be indicated a... Read More
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Not exactly: They show lesions that are suspicious for cancer (including lung cancer). Typically co fir action with a biopsy is required before treatment is initia... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Myotomy: It has higher success rates (~90%) and is longer lasting.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Unlikely: To have any significant weight changes.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Avoid asbestos: Although we are not sure what exactly causes mesothelioma, there is an association with asbestos exposure.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
No: It is not a cancer treatment. Occasionally it may be needed during lung cancer treatment (as in some cases after lung resection) but it is a supportiv... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Yes: All forms of tobacco use can lead to cardiovascular effects.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Yes: Although there is 25-30% chance it may happen again. Smoking cessation is essential.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Hospice: Palliative of pain and comfort care only.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Myotomy: Which means cutting of the muscle sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus. A partial "wrap" or anti reflux procedure is usually added.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Find a specialist: Outcomes are better when treatment is determined by a group of physicians from different specialties that have experience in this type of cancer, incl... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
All the time: There are many causes of dysphagia. If you have achalasia, the best treatment is an esophageal myotomy.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Quite safe: Provided you seek an experienced surgeon. There are always risks with any surgery, but a laparoscopic myotomy is quite safe.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Several or none: Early stages may have no symptoms at all. As the fibrosis progresses, symptoms develop based on the structure involved. More commonly the superior ven... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Evaluation needed: While lung cancer can present like that, there are a fewl other causes for chest lymphadenopathy and a pulmonary nodule, including infectious and infl... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old female asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Depends : Weight loss may be due to side effect from chemo or tumor progression despite the chemo. Either way, stopping the chemo is reasonable.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Depends on approach: Standard approach would be through a sternotomy (splitting the breast bone) which would typically require 4-6 weeks recovery. There are minimally inva... Read More
6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
It's not: That would not help at all in the diagnosis of head injury.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
It depends: Most commonly the infection happened in the past and there is no role for active treatments. However, if surgery was done for diagnosis of acute or su... Read More
6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Surgery: But not everybody needs it. The majority of people with mvp need no treatment at all, but technically speaking, the only way to eliminate the prolapse... Read More
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Yes: Endoscopic mucosal resection (stripping of the esophageal lining) and radifrequency ablation of the mucosa.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Yes: But reflux alone is not an indication for gastric bypass.
6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Unclear: If there were low before and they responded to thymectomy, they may stay at a normal level for ever. If the platelet count was normal before and is el... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Surgery or chemo: Depending on stage of disease. For selected patients, surgical resection may be beneficial, otherwise chemotherapy and possibly radiation are the main... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
No: Respiratory therapists are not physicians, but work very closely with physicians in helping patients with breathing problems.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Perhaps: There are several syndromes associated with thymomas, some of which may lead to" weakening" of the immune system. This could also result if chemothera... Read More
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Yes: It is like a roadmap to decide which vessels to bypass.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Very low: Compared to the gonadal germ cell tumors. The most common locations are the mediastinum, the pineal gland in the brain and the abdomen.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
No: But if you keep swallowing things that are not meant to be swallowed you run the risk of injuring your esophagus or stomach and put your health at gre... Read More
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Probably equal: Cardiac surgery at age 87 is pretty risky, so without knowing the specifics i would think it's pretty close.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Thymus gland: Which is found behind your sternum (breastbone).
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Ask about VATS: The majority of lung resections can now be performed with minimally invasive techniques. Ask your surgeon about thoracoscopy (vats) - it usually lead... Read More
6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Surgery: For healthy patients, surgery (heller myotomy) is the best and most long-lasting treatment. Alternatives include endoscopic dilation and Botox injecti... Read More
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Prone to reflux: The les prevents excessive reflux of the stomach contents into the esophagus. When it is incompetent, it is more likely you will develop symptoms of ... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Go to the ER: Thorough evaluation is needed, including physical examination and imaging studies (chest x-ray and perhaps a ct scan). Based on the extent of the trau... Read More
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Pretty good: If positive lymph nodes are found during surgery, usually chemotherapy is recommended. Radiation after surgery is not as common and certainly quite un... Read More
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Possibly: Reflux occurs commonly at night. If you wake up with severe heartburn or coughing, then antireflux surgery will likely alleviate these symptoms and he... Read More
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Possibly: Although recurrent cancer is less likely to be localized and therefore amenable to surgery. If it is a new cancer though, surgery may be an option bas... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Not always: But further workup with ct scan and possibly other tests is required.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
Imaging +/- biopsy: Chest ct scan is the main modality. Additional tests can be used and occasionally a needle biopsy may be needed. Frequently the diagnosis is confirmed... Read More
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
4 weeks average: But varies a lot, depending on preoperative lung function and overall health and the type of surgery performed. For open (thoracotomy) resection recov... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Birdasanswered
Thoracic Surgery 27 years experience
A few: Lesions below a certain size may be too small to show up on pet (typically around 8 mm). It may show many "abnormal" lesions that may be unrelated to ... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions, provide medical advice, write prescriptions, and more.
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
5
Recommendations
122
Thank you notes
Nov 15, 2012
Outstanding surgeon and physician, conscientious, empathetic and most highly recommended!
Apr 26, 2013
Dr. Birdas is an a extremely bright, caring and knowledgeable physician and surgeon!
Nov 4, 2012
Outstanding!
HealthTap member
Ive been struggling with this over 6 months, they first did a hernia operation, and then streched it. Now they injected botox. Im hopeless.
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! Not clear. Have swollen lymphnodes under right arm and bleeding under skin from that area down my arm
HealthTap member
Is pain while breathing common after this procedure
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
National University of Athens Faculty of Medicine, Greece
Graduated 1995MD
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