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Embracing Innovation
EACTS is proud to be at the heart of the global debate about the future of cardio thoracic surgery, with our renewed focus on innovation.
The inaugural EACTS Innovation Summit, which took place in Paris in April 2023, reaffirmed our commitment to fostering a culture of discovery and development to bring forward the very best technologies and techniques for the benefit of patients.
An invited audience of more than 60 surgeons, engineers, scientists, cardiologists and industry leaders attended the two-day summit and responded positively to a call to embrace innovation in surgery and the development of new ideas and concepts.
The inaugural Innovation Summit was led by two Past Presidents of EACTS, Friedhelm Beyersdorf and Mark Hazekamp. Prof Hazekamp said, “We must incorporate innovation thinking into our blood and bring innovations to the clinic. It is really important; there is no future if we do not do that.”
The summit is expected to become an annual event, with the next one scheduled to take place in Paris in April 2024, as well as contributing to the EACTS Annual Meeting every year. You can read all about the 2023 Paris summit in our new Innovation Report.
The spirit of innovation from Paris will live on in Vienna. Innovation is one of the themes of this year’s Annual Meeting and members will have an opportunity to further discuss and develop proposals put forward in Paris earlier in the year. In particular, there will be an opportunity to build on the proposed creation of a new Innovation Domain.
In addition, four presentations from Paris were selected to feature in the session ‘Highlights of EACTS Innovation Summit 2023’. The aim is to disseminate new ideas to the wider cardiothoracic surgery community. Topics include shockwaves for myocardial regeneration; opto-electronic implants; mitochondrial transplantation, which sees healthy autologous mitochondria transferred into damaged cardiac cells; and controlled automated reperfusion of the whole body (CARL). The sessions were moderated by Prof Beyersdorf and Prof Hazekamp, and the panellists are Prof Sir Bruce Keogh and Prof Franca Melfi.
Innovation and the latest technology are also on display throughout the exhibition. The event showcases state-of-the-art products and developments in the cardiothoracic market and gives an opportunity to strengthen relationships with the innovative companies who will help cardiothoracic surgery move forward in the coming years.
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION FOR EACTS INNOVATION SUMMIT, APRIL 18-20, 2024
The EACTS Innovation Summit 2024 invites surgeons, engineers, innovators, researchers, and scientists active in or even outside the field of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery to submit abstracts to the upcoming Innovation Summit 2024. We are looking for disruptive ideas and breakthroughs in all areas related to thoracic and cardiovascular research in the following five topics:
The Future of Robotic Surgery
Heart Valve of the Future
Extracorporeal Circulation (CPB, ECMO, ECLS, hibernation and hypothermia)
Artificial Intelligence for CT Surgery – IT
Lymphatic/glymphatic system (heart and brain)
Since we are looking for disruptive ideas, abstracts can also be submitted, if they do not fit in these main topics:
“Wild Card” Submission
The submitted material should be new and should have the potential to change our daily practice and can and should be at an early stage. We are not looking for small improvements in current techniques.
The submitted material should be new and should have the potential to change our daily practice and can and should be at an early stage. We are not looking for small improvements in current techniques.
After review by a dedicated Innovation Summit Reviewer Team, the presenters will be invited to the Innovation Summit 2024 near Paris to participate in the entire programme from 18-20 April. Please note, however, that presenters will be responsible for their own travel expenses to and from the venue. The best presentations will be selected for presentation thereafter at the 38th EACTS Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal.
The Call for Abstracts will open on Tuesday 10 October and close on 25 November 2023.
For further information please contact programme@eacts.co.uk
EACTS Innovation Summit: 18-20 April 2024
