The Department of Thoracic Surgery of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, was founded in the early 1980s, the predecessor of which was the Department of Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery. Under the leadership of Prof. Dong Zongjun and Prof. Zhang Jian, the department continued to grow and develop. In 2002, Prof. Zhi Xiuyi was introduced to the hospital as the chief who serves now as the chief expert. Department of Thoracic Surgery gradually became a high academically influential centre for lung cancer and myasthenia gravis in China. In May 2018, Prof. Zhang Yi was elected to be the present chief of the department.

The department was moved to the new hospital building on 17 March 2019 and now sets up Ward I (surgery ward) and Ward II (chemo- and immunotherapy ward) with 56 patient beds. Forty-two medical staff serve in the department, including 17 physicians (14 thoracic surgeons and three oncologists), two scientists, one postdoctoral fellow, and 22 nurses. Ten of them are chief or deputy chief physicians, and 13 staff have doctoral degrees.

Sticking to the concept of minimally invasive surgery and comprehensive treatment for lung cancer, the department is one of the centers conducting video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), 3D thoracoscopic surgery, mediastinoscopic surgery, and pulmonary resection with a 2μm thulium laser device in China. Varies of surgeries are performed by VATS, such as subxiphoid VATS mediastinal tumor resection, subxiphoid VATS extended thymectomy, and thoracolaparoscopic esophagectomy. Over 90% of surgeries are conducted via the uniportal approach. Most complicated surgeries can be completed in the department, including double-sleeve lobectomy, superior vena cava resection and reconstruction, massive resection of the chest wall, and the reconstruction of tracheal carina. The department is also the leading center to adopt the clinical staging of lung cancer and physical therapy (e.g. CT-guided radiofrequency ablation), establishing the training center for thulium laser surgery and radiofrequency ablation. Moreover, the Department of Thoracic Surgery cooperates with United Family Healthcare International Section in robotic surgery and comprehensive multidisciplinary treatment for lung cancer. In 2007, the department was awarded the Center of Excellence by Asian Thoracoscopic Education Platform (ATEP).

Collaborating with relative departments, the Department of Thoracic Surgery established the Capital Medical University Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Lung Cancer in 2003, based on extensive cooperation with several domestic lung cancer centers. Furthermore, the department also built a close relationship with the department of thoracic surgery and oncology from foreign countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Japan, and South Korea. Hosting domestic and international projects and holding a series of influential academic conferences dramatically increased the academic status of the department. In July 2019, the department established the Integrated Lung Cancer Center (iLCC) with the support of the hospital, Capital Medical University and Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals, featuring the screening, early diagnosis, minimally invasive surgery, comprehensive treatment, follow-up, and chronic disease management of lung cancer. In August 2020, the Department of Thoracic Surgery led the establishment of the Center for Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, further strengthening its influence in academics and education.

The department established the Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Myasthenia Gravis, Xuanwu Hospital, in cooperation with the Department of Neurology and other departments. The center collaborates with relative domestic experts in generalized myasthenia gravis multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment, scientific research, and media advocacy.

Up to now, the Department of Thoracic Surgery has hosted or participated in over 40 international and domestic scientific research projects with more than 50,000,000 CNY funding. Over 150 academic papers, including more than 50 SCI papers and ten books on thoracic surgery and lung cancer.

Education is another focus of works of the Department of Thoracic Surgery. Prof. Zhang Yi, chief of the department, is now the dean of the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Capital Medical University, and the postdoctoral mobile station is set up. There are three professors and one associate professor, including one doctoral supervisor and two master supervisors. Over ten master and doctoral students have graduated, and over 20 graduates are studying in the department. Since 2005, the department has been holding the national seminar and now undertakes two national and two city-level continuing education projects every year.