The 2021 Annual Report by the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery (JATS) provides a comprehensive overview of thoracic and cardiovascular surgeries in Japan. The report, compiled by the Committee for Scientific Affairs, includes data from various institutions across the country and covers three main categories: cardiovascular, general thoracic, and esophageal surgeries. Key findings include: - **Cardiovascular Surgery**: In 2021, 63,054 cardiovascular surgeries were performed, a 1.6% decrease from 2020. The number of surgeries for congenital heart disease, valvular heart disease, and ischemic heart procedures decreased, while the number of surgeries for thoracic aortic aneurysms increased. - **General Thoracic Surgery**: 88,027 procedures were reported, a 2.1-fold increase since 2000. The most common procedures were for primary lung cancer (46,624 cases) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for benign pulmonary tumors (2,418 cases). - **Esophageal Surgery**: The report highlights the increasing use of minimally invasive techniques, with 1,595 and 2,596 patients undergoing VATS for superficial and advanced esophageal cancers, respectively. Robot-assisted esophagectomy also saw a significant increase. The report emphasizes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical volumes and outcomes, noting a decline in procedures in 2020. It also discusses the hospital mortality rates and complications associated with various surgical procedures, providing valuable insights for surgeons and researchers.The 2021 Annual Report by the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery (JATS) provides a comprehensive overview of thoracic and cardiovascular surgeries in Japan. The report, compiled by the Committee for Scientific Affairs, includes data from various institutions across the country and covers three main categories: cardiovascular, general thoracic, and esophageal surgeries. Key findings include: - **Cardiovascular Surgery**: In 2021, 63,054 cardiovascular surgeries were performed, a 1.6% decrease from 2020. The number of surgeries for congenital heart disease, valvular heart disease, and ischemic heart procedures decreased, while the number of surgeries for thoracic aortic aneurysms increased. - **General Thoracic Surgery**: 88,027 procedures were reported, a 2.1-fold increase since 2000. The most common procedures were for primary lung cancer (46,624 cases) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for benign pulmonary tumors (2,418 cases). - **Esophageal Surgery**: The report highlights the increasing use of minimally invasive techniques, with 1,595 and 2,596 patients undergoing VATS for superficial and advanced esophageal cancers, respectively. Robot-assisted esophagectomy also saw a significant increase. The report emphasizes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical volumes and outcomes, noting a decline in procedures in 2020. It also discusses the hospital mortality rates and complications associated with various surgical procedures, providing valuable insights for surgeons and researchers.