Stephen Hazelrigg, MD

Dr. Stephen Hazelrigg is a Professor in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Born in Jacksonville, Ill., he earned his bachelor's degree from Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. and his medical degree in 1983 from the SIU School of Medicine. After receiving his general surgery training at SIU, Dr. Hazelrigg completed a fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Missouri Hospitals and Clinics in Columbia, Mo.

Dr. Hazelrigg practices all aspects of cardiothoracic surgery (heart, lung and esophageal) and has a special interest in thoracoscopic surgery. Board certified in cardiothoracic surgery, he has published over 100 articles and book chapters and is internationally recognized for his contributions in thoracoscopic surgery. He is the co-editor of the textbook Minimal Access Cardiothoracic Surgery, used by cardiac surgeons worldwide.

Dr. Hazelrigg has an active interest in surgical therapies for emphysema. The division has been the lead center for a large, national, multicenter study on lung volume reduction surgery and presently is among the most active sites in the country performing this procedure.

Over the past several years Dr. Hazelrigg has developed a great deal of interest in a surgical procedure done thoracoscopically known as a sympathectomy. This procedure is especially useful for a disorder known as hyperhidrosis which produces excessive sweating of the hands and axillary areas. This outpatient procedure is almost uniformly successful at achieving dry hands. Dr. Hazelrigg's research interests include lung cancer, emphysemic surgery and thoracoscopic procedures.