A member asked:

Is a cardiothoracic surgeon the same as vascular surgeon, thoracic surgeon, cardiovascular surgeon, cardiac surgeon, etc.. what are there difference?

3 doctors weighed in across 2 answers

Some differences: Cardio = heart thoracic = chest (thorax) vascular = blood vessels (vasculature) there is some crossover but as surgery becomes more complicated the training and specialization become more narrowed.

Answered 8/5/2019

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Dr. Joel Gotvald answered

Specializes in Vascular Surgery

Heart & Blood Vessel: These are all different. Vascular surgeon operates on arteries & veins throughout the body, but not on the heart. Cardiac surgeon operates on the heart. Thoracic surgeon operates on chest organs, often including the heart. There is really no "cardiovascular surgeon" & this is a misnomer. If referred to as such, they are usually EITHER a vascular surgeon or a cardiac surgeon, but usually not both.

Answered 9/28/2016

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Related Questions

A member asked:

How long is the training to become a cardio vascular surgeon?

6 doctors weighed in across 2 answers