Current and Future Innovations in Pediatric Thoracic Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

Pediatric thoracic diseases encompass a wide spectrum of congenital, infectious, inflammatory, traumatic, and oncologic conditions involving the lungs, airways, pleura, mediastinum, chest wall, and diaphragm. In recent years, the field has been rapidly transformed by advances in imaging and functional assessment, minimally invasive and robotic techniques, interventional bronchoscopy, peri-operative critical care, and precision approaches that integrate genetics, molecular profiling, and targeted therapies. In parallel, multidisciplinary care models and translational research are reshaping how we diagnose, treat, and follow children with complex thoracic disorders.

This Special Issue aims to highlight cutting-edge research, novel technologies, and future directions that improve diagnosis, treatment, and long-term outcomes in children with thoracic diseases. We welcome contributions that bridge basic science, clinical practice, and health systems, with a particular interest in innovations that are scalable, evidence-based, and patient-centered.

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following:

- Minimally invasive and robotic pediatric thoracic surgery; novel instruments and techniques;

- Advances in interventional bronchoscopy and airway management (benign/malignant, congenital, post-intubation);

- Precision medicine, genomics, and biomarkers in pediatric thoracic conditions and tumors;

- Innovative imaging, navigation, 3D planning/printing, and functional assessment;

- Congenital lung malformations: diagnosis, timing of surgery, outcomes, and follow-up;

- Pediatric thoracic oncology and metastasectomy: multidisciplinary strategies and new therapies;

- Pleural diseases, empyema, and complex infections: evolving approaches and outcome measures;

- Chest wall deformities and diaphragm disorders: new surgical and non-surgical treatments;

- Peri-operative optimization, anesthesia, pain management, ERAS pathways, and ICU innovations;

- Long-term outcomes, quality of life, survivorship, and transition of care;

- Multicenter registries, real-world evidence, and implementation of guidelines in pediatric thoracic care;

- AI/ML applications in diagnosis, risk prediction, and decision support;

Article types

Original Articles, Reviews, Systematic Reviews/Meta-analyses, Short Communications, Technical Notes, and well-documented Case Series (where appropriate).

Dr. Paolo Scanagatta
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• pediatric thoracic diseases
• pediatric thoracic surgery
• minimally invasive thoracic surgery
• robotic surgery
• interventional bronchoscopy
• congenital lung malformations
• airway disorders
• pediatric thoracic oncology
• advanced imaging
• precision medicine