This issue of Thoracic Surgery Clinics of North America, guest edited by Dr. Sharon Ben-Or, is devoted to Thoracic Surgery in the Special Care Patient. Dr. Ben-Or has assembled expert authors to review the following topics: Thoracic surgery in the pregnant patient; Thoracic surgery in early stage small cell lung cancer; Lung cancer in the post transplant / immunosuppressed patient; The postpneumonectomy patient; Thoracic surgery considerations in the obese patient; Thoracic surgery considerations in the pediatric patient; Esophagectomy after weight reduction surgery; Thoracic surgery considerations in the mentally ill or handicapped patient; Lung cancer with concomitant cardiac disease; Malignant pleural effusion and the trapped lung; Empyema from an obstructing lung cancer; Synchronous esophageal and lung cancer; Thoracic surgery considerations in the AIDS patient; and more!