The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remains a disruptive force upon the health care system, with particular import for thoracic surgery given the pulmonary pathophysiology and disease implications of the virus. The rapid and severe onset of disease required expedient innovation and change in patient management and novel approaches to care delivery and nimbleness of workforce. In this review, we detail our approaches to patients with COVID-19, including those that required surgical intervention, our expedited and novel approach to bronchoscopy and tracheostomy, and our expansion of telehealth. The pandemic has created a unique opportunity to reflect on our delivery of care in thoracic surgery and apply lessons learned during this time to “rethink” how to optimize resources and deliver excellent and cutting-edge patient care.

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a chronic vasculitis of large- and medium-sized vessels that can lead to acute aortic adverse events. We describe a 74-year-old female patient who presented with acute-on-chronic aortic dissection. Her pathology was significant for aortitis in the setting of giant cell arteritis. The patient ultimately underwent successful repair of her dissection and was discharged home.

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a chronic vasculitis of large- and medium-sized vessels that can lead to acute aortic adverse events. We describe a 74-year-old female patient who presented with acute-on-chronic aortic dissection. Her pathology was significant for aortitis in the setting of giant cell arteritis. The patient ultimately underwent successful repair of her dissection and was discharged home.

Cardiac paragangliomas are extremely rare cardiac masses. Our patient presented with angina secondary to coronary atherosclerosis and was incidentally found to have a large cardiac mass on coronary angiography. He underwent a full imaging workup and ultimately excision of the mass. Final pathology demonstrated paraganglioma. This case illustrates the presentation, workup, and definitive treatment of this rare tumor.