Mathew Thomas, M.B.B.S., M.D.

Dr. Mathew Thomas is a nationally recognized thoracic and transplant surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, where he serves as Professor of Surgery and Director of Thoracic Surgery. He specializes in advanced surgical treatment of lung, airway, esophageal, diaphragm, and chest wall conditions, providing highly specialized care to patients from throughout Florida, the Southeastern United States, and beyond.

Dr. Thomas is known for advancing innovative surgical techniques that improve outcomes, reduce recovery times and expand treatment options for complex conditions affecting the chest. He directs a cutting-edge thoracic surgery program focused on minimally invasive surgical approaches, utilizing advanced surgical platforms to enhance recovery, such as:

• Single-port and multi-port robotic thoracic surgery.
• Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for lung and other thoracic conditions.
• Virtual reality and 3D printing to plan surgery and create prosthetic implants.
• Novel approaches to complex thoracic procedures involving the lungs, trachea, esophagus, and diaphragm.
• Thoracoscopic sympathectomy for palmar hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating of hands).
• Robotic surgery for diaphragm paralysis, including diaphragm plication and pacemaker placement.

As the former chair of robotic surgery at Mayo Clinic in Florida, his leadership has helped expand access to less invasive treatment options for patients with both benign and malignant thoracic diseases.

Dr. Thomas is an expert in the management of complex chest wall conditions, with a special interest in chest wall reconstruction for tumors and congenital structural deformities, such as pectus excavatum in adults. He is well-recognized by his peers for advanced surgical correction techniques, including minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (Nuss procedure).

He also specializes in use of advanced minimally invasive approaches to perform traditionally high-risk thoracic procedures to treat challenging airway and esophageal disorders, including:

• Complex tracheal surgery, including tracheal resection and robotic airway reconstruction (tracheobronchoplasty) for tracheobronchomalacia and excessive dynamic airway collapse
• Robotic bronchial and tracheal sleeve resections of tumors of the airway
• Esophageal surgery, including cancer and structural conditions of the esophagus such as hiatal hernias and achalasia

His expertise allows patients with rare or complex thoracic and esophageal conditions to receive highly specialized care in a multidisciplinary, highly integrated care setting.

As a highly experienced lung transplant surgeon, Dr. Thomas provides life-saving care for patients with advanced lung disease, including surgical treatment for end-stage lung failure.

Based in Jacksonville, Dr. Thomas serves as a regional and national referral expert for thoracic surgery, robotic lung surgery, chest wall disorders, and lung transplant care, treating individuals with complex conditions not widely managed elsewhere.

"Innovation in surgical care is most meaningful when it improves the patient experience," says Dr. Thomas. "I strive to integrate advanced techniques with a collaborative, team-based approach to achieve excellent outcomes and support patients in returning to their lives with confidence."

Outside of his clinical work, Dr. Thomas enjoys mentoring trainees and conducts active research and innovation to advance surgical techniques. He also enjoys painting and drawing, and he actively follows developments in the fields of artificial intelligence, quantum mechanics and quantum computing.