ESTS Presidential Address – Creative destruction: a new era in the field of thoracic surgery

This presidential address by Alper Toker at the 23rd Conference of the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons in Lisbon identifies the current era in thoracic surgery as one of creative destruction where technological innovation replaces previous concepts with benefits for both patients and surgeons. The paper discusses the impact of this development on education, teaching and learning and on ethical issues in the field of thoracic surgery.