Biographical summary
Luis F. Tapias Vargas, M.D., is a thoracic surgeon dedicated to helping people navigate complex chest conditions with clarity, confidence, and compassion. His work centers on thoracic oncology, minimally invasive surgery, and advanced robotic approaches to lung, esophageal, and airway disease.
Areas of Expertise
Dr. Tapias Vargas approaches each case with a focus on safety, minimally invasive options, and achieving excellent long-term outcomes. His clinical focus includes:
- Lung and esophageal cancer: Expertise in management and robotic minimally invasive surgery for early and advanced lung and esophageal cancer.
- Mediastinal tumors: Robotic-assisted surgery for benign and cancerous mediastinal tumors.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease: Robotic techniques to restore function and relieve symptoms.
- Hiatal hernias: Minimally invasive surgical repair tailored to patient-specific anatomy and needs.
- Airway diseases: Expertise in management and surgery of benign and malignant conditions of the trachea and bronchi.
- Achalasia: Robotic approaches to improve esophageal function and swallowing.
- Esophageal diverticula: Minimally invasive treatment to reduce symptoms and prevent complications.
- Hyperhidrosis: Surgical options using minimally invasive techniques for symptom relief.
Research
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Tapias Vargas is actively engaged in research aimed at factors that influence the treatment, outcomes and survivorship of people with thoracic malignancies, such as lung and esophageal cancers. His work explores factors that influence treatment responses, survivorship, and recovery. He has a particular interest in the application and results of minimally invasive and robotic techniques in complex thoracic procedures such as esophagectomies.
Conditions treated
Procedures performed
- Bleb resection
- Bronchoscopy
- Carinal resection
- Chest reconstruction
- Chest surgery
- Chest wall biopsy
- Chest wall reconstruction
- Chest wall resection
- Decortication
- Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy
- Esophageal reconstruction
- Esophagectomy
- Extrapleural pneumonectomy
- Heller myotomy
- Hiatal hernia repair
- Hyperhidrosis surgery
- Lobectomy
- Lung biopsy
- Lung resection
- Lung surgery
- Lung volume reduction surgery
- Median sternotomy
- Mediastinoscopy
- Mediastinotomy
- Minimally invasive anti-reflux surgery
- Minimally invasive esophagectomy
- Minimally invasive lung resection
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Minimally invasive thymectomy
- Pleurectomy
- Pleurodesis
- Pneumonectomy
- Robotic diaphragm plication
- Robotic esophagectomy
- Robotic lobectomy
- Robotic segmentectomy
- Robotic surgery
- Robotic thymectomy
- Segmentectomy
- Thoracoscopy
- Thoracotomy
- Thymectomy
- VATS
- VATS lobectomy
- Video mediastinoscopy
- Wedge resection of lung
Interests
- Lung cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Thymic tumors
- Tracheal tumors
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)
- Robotic thoracic surgery
Mayo Clinic locations
Education
- 2020
Fellow - Cardiothoracic SurgeryMassachusetts General Hospital
- 2019
Visiting Fellow - Thoracic SurgeryMemorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
- 2019
Visiting Fellow - Thoracic SurgeryMayo Clinic Rochester
- 2018
Resident - General SurgeryMassachusetts General Hospital
- 2015
Research Fellowship - Cardiothoracic SurgeryMassachusetts General Hospital
- 2012
Resident - General SurgerySaint Mary's Hospital/Yale University School of Medicine
- 2011
Research Fellowship - Thoracic SurgeryMassachusetts General Hospital
- 2010
MD - MedicineUniversidad Industrial de Santander
Activities and honors
Certifications
- 2022
Thoracic and Cardiac SurgeryAmerican Board of Thoracic Surgery
- 2019
General SurgeryAmerican Board of Surgery
Awards and honors
- 2025
Poster of Distinction - 31st Annual Balfour Surgery Research Symposium Department of Surgery
- 2025
Top Rated Abstract - 31st Annual Balfour Surgery Research Symposium Department of Surgery
- 2025
2024 Top Performer Provider – Patient Experience AwardMayo Clinic Rochester
- 2024
Top Rated Abstract - Latin America Conference on Lung Cancer 2024 – Bogota, ColombiaInternational Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC)
- 2024
Poster of Distinction - 30th Annual Balfour Surgery Research Symposium Department of Surgery
- 2024
Top Rated Abstract - 30th Annual Balfour Surgery Research Symposium Department of Surgery
- 2024
Subspecialty Teacher of the Year - General Surgery Residency ProgramDepartment of Surgery
- 2023
2022 Top Performer Provider - Patient Experience Award Mayo Clinic Rochester
- 2019
ESTS Greek Pioneers Prize, Best Poster PresentationEuropean Society of Thoracic Surgeons
- 2014
Willard M. Daggett ScholarshipMassachusetts General Hospital
- 2011
Second Place, Resident Paper CompetitionAmerican College of Surgeons – Connecticut Chapter
- 2010
M.D., Cum LaudeUniversidad Industrial de Santander
Professional memberships
- 2025
MemberMidwest Surgical Equipment & Supply Subcommittee, Department Committees, Department of Nursing
- 2025 - present
MemberRochester Surgical Equipment and Supply Subcommittee
- 2025 - present
MemberWorkforce on General Thoracic Surgery Database, Society of Thoracic Surgeons
- 2025 - present
Sit-withMidwest Surgical Quality Subcommittee
- 2025 - present
Workforce on General Thoracic Surgery DatabaseSociety of Thoracic Surgeons
- 2024 - present
MemberRobotics Subcommittee
- 2024 - present
MemberData Safety Monitoring Board
- 2023 - 2024
MemberTaskforce on Consensus Statement on Resectable Lung Cancer Management, Society of Thoracic Surgeons
- 2023 - 2024
Taskforce on Consensus Statement on Resectable Lung Cancer ManagementSociety of Thoracic Surgeons
- 2023 - present
MemberDouglas Mathisen Traveling Fellowship in General Thoracic Surgery Review Committee, Thoracic Surgery Foundation / Society of Thoracic Surgeons
- 2023 - 2025
MemberWorkforce on General Thoracic Surgery, Society of Thoracic Surgeons
- 2023 - 2025
MemberWorkforce on Evidence Based Surgery, Society of Thoracic Surgeons
- 2023 - 2025
Workforce on Evidence Based SurgerySociety of Thoracic Surgeons
- 2023 - 2025
Workforce on General Thoracic SurgerySociety of Thoracic Surgeons
- 2023 - present
Active MemberSociety of Thoracic Surgeons
- 2023 - present
MemberAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology
- 2022 - present
MemberInternational Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
- 2022 - present
MemberLatino Surgical Society
- 2021 - present
Thoracic Surgery LiaisonDepartment of Surgery Quality Committee
- 2018 - present
MemberMGH Alumni Surgical Society
- 2012 - 2021
Resident MemberMassachusetts Medical Society
- 2011 - 2022
Candidate MemberSociety of Thoracic Surgeons
Publications
Research activities