M.D., Ph.D. Professor Toyofumi Yoshikawa
The Department of Thoracic Surgery at Kyoto University was established in 1941 and has led the field of thoracic surgery in Japan. In the clinical department, we perform minimally invasive surgeries utilizing thoracoscopy and robotic systems. Furthermore, we have performed the highest number of lung transplants in Japan to date. Thoracic surgeons trained in our department are active throughout western Japan and beyond. The number of surgeries performed at affiliated hospitals exceeds 9,500 annually, accounting for approximately 10% of all such procedures in Japan.
Research and Education
Our laboratory conducts research on various themes including lung cancer, lung transplantation, regeneration, and surgical simulation. In lung cancer research, we utilize extensive surgical resection specimens to identify prognostic factors and aim to implement personalized treatment based on biological markers. Furthermore, to locate small pulmonary nodules, we have developed and clinically applied various techniques such as VAL-MAP, ICG-VAL-MAP, and RFID. In lung transplantation, we have established and clinically applied the ex-vivo lung perfusion model and have conducted immunological research alongside studies on lung preservation and resuscitation. We have also pioneered various world-first surgical techniques, including right-to-left inverted lung transplantation and ABO-incompatible lung transplantation. The concept of intestinal respiration, which won the Ig Nobel Prize in 2024, originated from our laboratory. In recent years, we have advanced surgical simulation research using “deformable 3D images” originally developed by ourselves. In education, we focus not only on surgical techniques but also on mastering various examination procedures and surgical adjunctive therapies, aiming to train surgeons capable of comprehensive care from diagnosis to treatment.
Recent Publications
- Chen-Yoshikawa TF, Tanaka S, Yamada Y, Yutaka Y, Nakajima D, Ohsumi A, Hamaji M, Menju T, Date H. Intermediate outcomes of right-to-left inverted living-donor lobar lung transplantation. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2019 Dec 1;56(6):1046-1053.
- Tokuno J, Chen-Yoshikawa TF, Nakao M, Matsuda T, Date H. Resection Process Map: A novel dynamic simulation system for pulmonary resection. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2020 Mar;159(3):1130-1138.
- Okabe R, Chen-Yoshikawa TF, Yoneyama Y, Yokoyama Y, Tanaka S, Yoshizawa A, Thompson YL, Kannan G, Wakabayashi K, Kobayashi E, Date H, Takebe T. EVA: Enteral Ventilation via Anus Ameliorates Respiratory Failure in Mammalian. Med. 2021; 2: 773-783.
- Nakajima D, Nagata S, Kayawake H, Tanaka S, Yamada Y, Yutaka Y, Ohsumi A, Hamaji M, Chen-Yoshikawa TF, Date H. Successful lung transplant cases with ex vivo lung perfusion assessment of extended criteria donor lungs. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2022 Apr;70(4):406-412.
- Tanaka S, Tanimine N, Nakakura A, Uchida K, Sakanoue I, Kayawake H, Takahashi M, Nishikawa S, Yutaka Y, Yamada Y, Ohsumi A, Hamaji M, Nakajima D, Chen-Yoshikawa TF, Tanaka Y, Ohdan H, Date H. Activation of anti-donor CD8 alloimmune response in clinically diagnosed acute rejection early after living-donor lobar lung transplantation and its impact on outcome. Transpl Imunol. 2025 May;90:102201.
Laboratory
Professor: Toyofumi Yoshikawa
Associate Professor: Toshi Menju
Lecturer: Daisuke Nakajima
Assistant Professor: Satona Tanaka, Ryota Sumitomo, Shigeto Nishikawa, Hidenao Kayawake
Program Specific Assistant Professor, University Hospital: Ichiro Sakanoue, Katsutaka Mineura
TEL: +81-75-751-4975
FAX: +81-75-751-4974
E-mail: thoracic@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
URL: https://thoracic.kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp/