Sleep and Lung Care offers thoracic surgery through Mr Bibhusal Thapa, thoracic surgeon (FRACS, PhD), who works alongside our respiratory physicians. Patients whose lung nodule, lung cancer, pleural or chest-wall problem needs an operation are seen by the same team that investigated it — without a second referral or a wait at another practice.
What Mr Thapa treats
- Lung nodules and lung cancer — surgical assessment and removal, including after a diagnosis made in our Rapid Access Lung Nodule / Lung Mass Clinic or by bronchoscopy and EBUS.
- Mesothelioma and other pleural disease, including pleural effusions that keep returning.
- Mediastinal tumours and chest-wall conditions.
- Airway problems that need interventional bronchoscopy or airway surgery.
How the surgery is done
Most operations are keyhole (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, VATS) or robotic, which means smaller incisions, less pain and a shorter hospital stay than open surgery. Mr Thapa is Head of the Thoracic Surgery Unit at Northern Health and admits private patients to Warringal Private Hospital, John Fawkner Private Hospital and Melbourne Private Hospital.
The pathway
- Referral. Your GP or specialist refers you to Sleep and Lung Care — how to refer. Nodules and masses are seen within 48 hours through the rapid access clinic.
- Work-up. Our respiratory physicians arrange the scans, lung function tests and biopsy (bronchoscopy or EBUS) needed to plan treatment, and discuss the case with Mr Thapa.
- Surgical consultation. Mr Thapa explains the operation, the risks and the recovery, and answers your questions. Lung function tests before surgery are bulk billed with a referral.
- Surgery and follow-up. After the operation you are followed up by Mr Thapa and your respiratory physician, with the results sent to your GP.
Making an appointment
A current referral from your GP or specialist is needed. Upload it here or call (03) 9422 0077 (Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm). If you have chest pain, are coughing up blood or have severe breathlessness, call 000.