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During the Saturday, Jan. 31, 7:50 a.m. presentation of the James S. Tweddell Memorial Paper for Congenital Heart Surgery, Elaine Griffeth, MD, of Mayo Clinic, will present new research as part of the “Research in Focus: Distinguished Abstracts” session at the 2026 Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Annual Meeting. Her talk, Extended Validation of an Institutional Machine Learning Model for Postoperative Morbidity and Mortality Risk in Adult Congenital Heart Disease Patients Undergoing Cardiac Reoperation, will explore how advanced risk modeling can better inform surgical decision-making for adults with congenital heart disease (CHD).

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Adults with CHD represent a growing and medically complex population. Most were born with structural heart defects and underwent surgery early in life, yet many require additional cardiac operations as adults. Prior surgeries, evolving anatomy, and long-term health challenges make it difficult to accurately estimate operative risk using existing tools designed for the broader adult cardiac surgery population, highlighting the need for a CHD-specific national risk assessment model.

The study analyzed cases from the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database spanning several years, building on prior Mayo Clinic work using machine learning and logistic regression. Seven factors were strongly associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality: sex, age, single-ventricle physiology, surgical urgency, kidney function, ejection fraction, and prior heart operations.  

“This is a work in progress,” says Dr. Griffeth. “We want to have high reliability in the surgeries we are offering, and we are trying to tailor this model with data from past patients. The more informed patients are about their risks for surgery, the better.”
 

New findings slated for presentation at the 2026 Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Annual Meeting suggests that aortic hemiarch reconstruction provides outcomes comparable to more complex extended arch reconstruction in patients over age 65 with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). John Spratt, MD, clinical assistant professor of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at University of Florida Health, will present Extended Arch Reconstruction for Acute Type A Dissection Does Not Impact Long-Term Survival or Reoperation in Patients Over Age 65: An STS-CMS Longitudinal Analysis during Sunday’s 11:15 a.m. adult cardiac session, “Tips & Tricks to Get Through Any Dissection.”

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The study used a risk-adjusted analysis of patients from the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database, which includes millions of adult cardiac surgery records. Patients underwent surgery at U.S. hospitals over several years, with most receiving aortic hemiarch reconstruction and the remainder undergoing extended arch reconstruction. Researchers evaluated postoperative mortality, stroke, and the need for reintervention for aortic disease and found no significant differences in these outcomes among patients ages 65 and older.

Extended arch reconstruction is a more complex operation that includes replacement of the aortic valve and repair of the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and the major arteries branching from the arch. Hemiarch reconstruction, by comparison, involves replacement of the aortic valve and repair of the ascending aorta and the underside of the aortic arch. Because aortic dissections most commonly affect older adults and require emergency surgery, surgeons must weigh the benefits of a more extensive repair against increased operative time, longer heart-lung bypass duration, and greater neurologic risk—factors that older patients often tolerate less well than younger individuals.  

“You have to balance what a patient may need on paper, compared with what their overall risk profile is,” says Dr. Spratt. “The majority of patients age 65 and older will be fine with hemiarch reconstruction and have the same outcomes as they would with a higher-risk procedure.”
 

Lung cancer causes more deaths in the United States each year than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined. Yet, despite strong evidence showing that annual screening with low-dose CT (LDCT) scans significantly reduces lung cancer mortality among high-risk individuals^[1],^[2], fewer than 18.2% of eligible patients currently undergo screening.

Simultaneously published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, The Journal of the American College of Radiology, and The International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics and jointly issued by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), The American College of Radiology (ACR), and The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the article examines recurring methodological flaws in the literature that may limit knowledge of, and access to, lung cancer screening (LCS).

The editorial originated from the STS Lung Cancer Screening Task Force and was led by its chair, Elliot Servais, MD, Department of Surgery at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center.

“In this paper, we address these misconceptions head-on with the goal of expanding access to screening and saving more lives from lung cancer,” said Dr. Servais. “Lung cancer screening saves lives. Multiple high-quality studies have clearly demonstrated its benefit. Despite this strong evidence, persistent misinformation about perceived harms continues to limit the uptake of this life-saving test.”

The authors note that methodological shortcomings in published research—including overestimation of downstream complications, misrepresentation of false-positive rates, and flawed analyses of CT-related radiation risk—may deter patients and clinicians from lung cancer screening, highlighting the need for accurate, evidence-based communication of its benefits and risks.

The full joint editorial is now available online:

[1] DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1911793 
[2] DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1102873

It is with sadness that the Society of Thoracic Surgeons shares the news of the passing of Dr. John Benfield, past president of STS (1995-1996), and a distinguished leader in our specialty.

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Dr. Benfield was an accomplished thoracic surgeon, educator, and mentor whose contributions have left a lasting impact on cardiothoracic surgery worldwide. 

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in 1952 and his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine in 1955. He went on to hold senior leadership positions at several major academic institutions, including Professor of Surgery Emeritus at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). 

During his term as STS President, Dr. Benfield championed many initiatives that shaped the Society’s future, including:

• Strengthening STS advocacy efforts in Washington
• Expanding the STS National Database to improve quality and patient outcomes
• Promoting ethics and professionalism in cardiothoracic surgery
• Enhancing education and mentorship programs for the next generation of surgeons

Dr. Benfield is remembered not only for his professional achievements but also for his deep commitment to mentorship and education. He endowed The John and Joyce Benfield Lecture, an annual event at his alma mater, the University of Chicago. This lecture continues to inspire generations of surgeons to this day.

Please join us in remembering Dr. Benfield and honoring his remarkable life and contributions to STS and the specialty.