Preface

The European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) was born in 1993 and since then the society has witnessed a continuous growth in terms of memberships, geographic distribution and educational activities, representing so far the largest general thoracic surgical society in the world. ESTS members are no longer confined to Europe, and they include representatives from all the continents, overcoming any geographical and political barrier with the sole intent to constitute a solid platform for the advancement and the development of the thoracic surgery.