CHAMPIONING DISRUPTIVE IDEAS IN CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY
EACTS Innovation Summit
International experts from Europe, the US and Asia convened in Paris in April for the second EACTS Innovation Summit to discuss new technologies, pioneering treatment pathways and future surgical developments. Participants heard some of the very latest disruptive ideas in cardiothoracic surgery, including how AI and immersive technologies are changing and will continue to change the entire field of CT surgery, including cardiac ultrastructure imaging, the future of robotic surgery and the engineering and distribution of Super-Organs.
Global specialists were also able to discuss other priority topics, including:
• Principles of innovation
• Leveraging ChatGPT4 in cardiac surgery
• Heart valve of the future
• Extracorporeal circulation (CPB, ECMO, ECLS, hibernation, hypothermia and organ repair)
• Artificial Intelligence for CT surgery
• Lymphatics in CT surgery.
VIDEO CONTENTADDED IN ISSUU
Speaking at the Innovation Summit, past EACTS President (2022) and Co-Chair of the summit, Friedhelm Beyersdorf, said, “Emerging technologies and Artificial Intelligence are changing cardiothoracic surgery. We know that innovation often takes place at the borders between specialties and that is why we brought together delegates from across disciplines. Our second Innovation Summit with clear action from the discussion groups alongside the creation of our new Innovation Hub provided a clear message that EACTS is serious about innovation.”
Interest in innovation is high with EACTS members submitting 55 high-quality abstracts for presentation at the Innovation Summit. Fourteen abstracts were selected alongside four exciting ‘wild card’ submissions.
Due to the number of high-quality submissions, a further ten of the highest rated abstracts will be shared with delegates during one of two innovation sessions at the 38th EACTS Annual Meeting, taking place in Lisbon, Portugal this October. Four keynote presentations specially selected from this year’s summit as the most innovative and thought-provoking will be presented in a second innovation session.
“Emerging technologies and Artificial Intelligence are changing cardiothoracic surgery. We know that innovation often takes place at the borders between specialties and that is why we brought together delegates from across disciplines.”
Friedhelm Beyersdorf
EACTS launched a brand-new Innovation Hub at the Summit
Innovation Hub
EACTS launched a brand-new Innovation Hub at the Summit, which will champion investment in innovation to support the development of cardiothoracic surgical treatments and improve outcomes for patients. This reflects the fact that innovation and opportunities for improving patient care by implementing upcoming disruptive techniques in CT surgery are of central importance to EACTS.
As part of the new Innovation Hub, EACTS members will be able to apply for grant funding to stimulate research and advance innovation in cardiothoracic surgery. Grants will be awarded from a fund that EACTS has recently established. The grants will be available to EACTS members only through a competitive process.
We are particularly interested to see applications that focus on the priority topics from the Innovation Summit and that are likely to create real-life opportunities to improve patient outcomes. The grant application process is set to launch in October 2024.
The grants will be overseen by our new Innovation Committee made up of research, academic and industry experts. Past EACTS Presidents Friedhelm Beyersdorf and Mark Hazekamp have been appointed Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively. Recruitment for additional members is underway.
Past EACTS President (2021) and Co-Chair of the Innovation Summit, Mark Hazekamp, said, “The Innovation Hub will stimulate new concepts and support inventors and creators to bring their ideas to clinical use. Using, implementing and further developing these upcoming opportunities is a priority for us at EACTS in order to further improve outcomes for patients with heart and lung conditions now and in the years ahead.”
“The Innovation Hub will stimulate new concepts and support inventors and creators to bring their ideas to clinical use."
Mark Hazekamp
TASK FORCES AND COMMITTEES UPDATE
NEW
THORACIC TASK FORCES
We are delighted to announce six new Thoracic Disease Domain task forces. The task forces will focus on:
Digital and Artificial Intelligence
Chair: Hazem Fallouh
Airway
Chair: Mohsen Ibrahim
Chest wall
Chair: Hussein Elkhayat
Emphysema
Chair: David Waller
Mediastinum
Chair: Giuseppe Marulli
Surgical oncology
Chair: Monica Casiraghi
JOIN THE THORACIC DISEASE DOMAIN
Are you passionate about advancing the field of thoracic healthcare? Do you want to be at the forefront of groundbreaking research and scientific advancements? If so, then seize the opportunity to join the influential Thoracic Disease Domain today. We are looking for three European members to join from October 2024 for a three-year term. Apply here. More information can be found here
WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS
We also welcome new chairs and members to the vascular and acquired cardiac disease domains and Women in Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Committee (WiCTS).
Aortic Dissection Task Force
Chair: Luca Di Marco
• Francesco Pollari
• Tomas Holubec
• Malakh Shrestha
Luca is a senior surgeon at the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Bologna University Hospital. His areas of interest are valve surgery, thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta surgery, thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta “hybrid” surgery, cerebral protection in aortic arch surgery, aortic dissection, endovascular aortic surgery, minimally invasive surgery and heart transplantation. He serves as Co-Chairman and member of the Italian Group of Study on Outcome in Cardiac Surgery (GIROC) – Italian Society for Cardiac Surgery and sits on the editorial boards of several prestigious journals.
Heritable Thoracic Aortic Disease Task Force
Chair: Julia Dumfarth
• Julie De Backer
• Miklós Pólos
• Alessandro Della Corte
• Gianluca Lucchese
Julia works as academic staff surgeon at the Medical University, Innsbruck and is specialising in aortic disease as well as heart transplantation. Her scientific focus lies in aortic disease, especially aortic dissection. As a member of VASCERN, genetic aortopathies are another area of scientific interest.
More vacancies for Domains, Committees and Task Forces will be announced over the coming weeks. Please check the vacancies here to see what is available.
Cerebral and Visceral Protection Task Force
Chair: Maximilian Luehr
• Ana Lopez-Marco
• Sven Peterss
• Alessandro Leone
• Aristidis Lenos
Maximilian leads the Aortic Research Team under Professor Thorsten Wahlers at the Department of CardioThoracic Surgery, University Hospital Cologne. He has published more than 90 peer-reviewed articles and served from 2019-2023 on the board of directors of the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
New Technology Task Force
• Antonio Miceli
See all members here
We are now recruiting for New Technology Task Force members to begin in October 2024. Apply here.
Endovascular Task Force
Chair: Maciej Kolowca
• Giacomo Murana
• Marlies Stelzmüller
• Mario Lescan
• Augusto D’Onofrio
Maciej is Vice-Head of the Cardiac Surgery Department at the University of Rzeszow. His areas of interest are aortic valve repair, valve sparing aortic root replacement, complex arch surgery, treatment of aortic dissection and brain protection.
Women in Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Committee (WiCTS)
• Diana Reser
• Ayse Cetinkaya
• Monica Mittal
• Maria Stumm
See all members here.
JOIN EACTS COUNCIL
EACTS Council - the decision-making body of our organisation - is recruiting for vacant positions. Nominations are now open.
Council will be recruiting a Vice-President and Acquired Cardiac Disease Domain Chair-elect to start in October 2024.
For more information, please click here.
Allied Health Professionals Committee vacancies –deadline 6 July
The AHP Committee is seeking members to join the Committee. If you are an allied health professional involved in the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with cardiothoracic conditions and interested in playing an active role in EACTS, please apply to the vacancy by clicking here
Luca Di Marco
Maximilian Leuhr
Julia Dumfarth Maciej Kolowca
DOMAIN UPDATES
Filip Casselman, Chair of the Acquired Cardiac Disease Domain
The second programme committee meeting took place recently to finalise the scientific programme at the 38th EACTS Annual Meeting.
Our domain and associated task forces have planned many excellent, high-quality sessions that explore some of the prevalent and controversial issues across cardiac surgery and aim to answer some of the ‘hard’ questions that we face in our daily practice.
Some of the topics that will feature in the acquired cardiac stream include new methodologies in organ preservation, aortic root, mitral and tricuspid valve surgery in endocarditis patients, robotic coronary surgery and treatment for patients with Aortic Regurgitation. I encourage everyone to look at the online programme.
We also held our first Zoom meeting with the faculty of the next Aortic Forum which will be held in Prague on June 18-20, 2025.
This meeting is organised under the guidance of former EACTS President Ruggero De Paulis and is aimed at both experienced colleagues and importantly, a new generation of young surgeons who will have a critical role in treating the increasing number of acute and chronic aortic diseases.
A lot of effort is going into planning the Aortic Forum as we work to evolve the meeting into a major educational programme for all aspects of aortic pathology and treatment.
I would also like to remind EACTS members to look out for opportunities to join one of our influential task forces and play an important role in shaping the Annual Meeting scientific programme in the future. You can find more details about the self-nomination process through the member area on the EACTS website.
Richard Milton, Chair of the Thoracic Disease Domain
Over the past three years a primary focus of the Thoracic Disease Domain has been to expand the EACTS offer for thoracic surgeons. This includes offering more EACTS Academy courses and expanding the thoracic stream at the EACTS Annual Meeting. This year, I’m delighted to say, is no exception, with more sessions planned than ever before.
We have developed ten fantastic focus sessions at this year’s Annual Meeting as well as two additional sessions that we are arranging jointly with the cardiac domain. Our aim is to cater for as many tastes as possible, so that any thoracic surgeon, irrespective of experience and special interest, will find plenty that appeals.
Some of the sessions to look out for include a focus session on Chest Trauma that will appeal to all surgeons across the membership. We will cover the latest evidence in rib fracture management being presented by two leading trauma surgeons from the US.
We have a Giants in Thoracic Surgery session, where we will have a couple of excellent case presentations from Alper Toker and Peter Licht, and if they’re not giant enough, this will be followed by a talk by Dr Valerie Rusch from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, who will share some highlights from her distinguished career.
One of the joint sessions will be on the medicolegal aspects of our specialty which includes presentations on how to avoid pitfalls in both cardiac and thoracic surgery, as well as a talk on how to be an expert witness in court, should you ever find yourself in one, being delivered by a top UK barrister.
We are also working hard on developing the thoracic programme for this year’s Techno-College and look forward to sharing more details soon.
WELCOMING NEW APPOINTMENTS TO THE PUBLICATIONS TEAM
Deirbhile McQuillan joins EACTS as the Managing Editor, responsible for the day-to-day running of the EACTS publications: the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery , our open access journal, Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery , and the Multimedia Manual of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery , our video-based publication.
Archie Leitch joins EACTS as the Editorial Assistant, supporting the publications team in the day-to-day running of the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EJCTS), Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery (ICVTS), and the Multimedia Manual of CardioThoracic Surgery (MMCTS)
Disrupt, Transform, Evolve – Innovation Summit 2024
Listen to the latest episode of A Cut Above and join hosts Can Gollmann-Tepeköylü and Miia L Lehtinen at the 2nd EACTS Innovation Summit as they talk innovation in cardiothoracic surgery with guest speakers.
• Paul Rulkens, a renowned expert in high performance, discusses how to courageously innovate, think beyond the limitations of preconceived notions and how to approach failure.
• Shaf Keshavjee, the thoracic surgeon, Surgeon-in-Chief of the Sprott Department of Surgery and Professor of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Toronto has a history of breakthroughs and discoveries in lung transplantation. He discusses innovation in the field of transplantation, strategically transforming the capabilities of ex-vivo lung perfusion.
• Pedro del Nido, a paediatric cardiac surgeon and former President of the AATS, highlights how unique approaches are used to address unmet needs, for example in paediatric valvular disease.
Our podcast series, A Cut Above, provides a platform for the cardiothoracic community to access valuable insights, latest research and educational content related to the field.
Deirbhile McQuillan, Managing Editor
Archie Leitch, Editorial Assistant
patients undergoing acute type I dissection repair with AMDS hybrid prosthesis: a substudy of the DARTS trial
Ryaan EL-Andari, Sabin J Bozso, Jeevan Nagendran et al
ICVTS
In-hospital thromboprophylaxis variation and the risk of venous thromboembolism after lung cancer surgery: a nationwide cohort study
Thomas Decker Christensen, Anne Gulbech Ording, Flemming Skjøth et al
With this international guideline, the ERS, EACTS and ESTS societies provide clinical practice recommendations for SP management, highlighting evidence gaps for the management of PAL and recurrence prevention, with research recommendations made.
Read our latest evidence-based guidelines and scientific documents
Innovate, Discover, Educate
GA TING NEW HORIZONS LISBON, PORTUGAL
9 – 12 October 2024
We are thrilled to launch our scientific programme for the 38th EACTS Annual Meeting.
Over four packed days you can expect global perspectives, cutting-edge innovations and the latest research across thoracic, congenital, vascular and acquired cardiac disease to advance your skills and knowledge, and expand your horizons.
The scientific programme is driven by our domains, task forces and committees to cover the most topical issues, generate stimulating debates and showcase the techniques and technologies shaping the global field of cardiothoracic surgery.
View the online programme
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
Techno-College - Wednesday 9 October
Techno-College kick-starts the 38th EACTS Annual Meeting taking delegates into the future to explore the innovations that have great potential to improve patient outcomes. With its unique format of live surgery and live-in-a-box cases, TechnoCollege is designed to keep you a step ahead in your career and
Two programmes - cardiovascular and thoracic surgery – are available for a separate fee.
Thursday 10 October
President’s Choice featuring the best abstracts from each
2024 updated guidelines
• Escape the coffin
• Women in Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (WiCTS) focus session
• NEW Learning Lab for left-handed surgeons
• Not guilty your Honour – the importance of medicolegal aspects of cardiothoracic surgery
• Cardiothoracic Trauma
• Right Ventricle and Tricuspid Valve: a pending subject for cardiac surgeons
• Tricuspid disease: once forgotten, now all the rage
• Revolutions in coronary surgery
• Robotic coronary surgery: here to stay!
• Transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve procedures
• Ross procedure in patients with pure aortic regurgitation
• Vascular graft infection – the silent epidemic
• Minimal invasive congenital heart surgery
• Congenital Videos
Friday 11 October
• Scalpel scars – Nightmares untold
• Innovation Summit highlights and abstract presentations
• Heart transplantation and LVADs in 2024 – an update
• Controversies in robotic thoracic surgery – balancing risk and reward
• Giants in thoracic surgery
• Thoracic Learning Lab - Segmentectomy and Airway reconstruction
• Connecting the Dots: Right Heart Failure, Pulmonary Hypertension, and Tricuspid Valve Dysfunction unraveled
• Knowledge every Cardiac Surgeon should have prior to performing a CABG: clarifying the concepts of Coronary Ischemia, reversibility and Regional Myocardial Perfusion
• Mitral repair at its best: a video tour
• Expanding horizons in robotic mitral valve surgery
• Video-session on minimally invasive aortic valve replacement
• EACTS/STS Session: How did the 2023 EACTS/STS Aortic Guidelines change your practice? A cased-based discussion by the experts
• Avoiding stenoses in the pulmonary arteries in surgery for congenital heart disease
• Walking together in lone AF ablation and beyond. EHRAEACTS joint session
Saturday 12 October
• Trial updates - examining the current progress and findings of major trials in our field
• Nurses and Allied Health Professionals programme
• EACTS Awards and keynote closing plenary
• Screening of lung cancer in the twenties
• How to get the best results in complex CABG populations
• Mastering Mechanical Circulatory Support: All you need to know (Video session)
• Exploring ethical dilemmas in congenital heart disease
• Eco-operation – Transforming CT surgery for a sustainable future
Bringing different perspectives in joint sessions
We are delighted that the following partner organisations will be collaborating with us in joint sessions this year: EAPCI, EBCP, EHRA, ESC, CSIA, PASCaTS and STS. These include:
• EACTS/STS Session: How did the 2023 EACTS/STS Aortic Guidelines change your practice? A case-based discussion by the experts
• EHRA-EACTS joint session: Walking together in lone AF ablation and beyond
• ERAS Cardiac/STS Expert Consensus for Perioperative Care.
Keynote presentations not to miss
And there’s more to come
More sessions are continually being added, so sign up to receive email alerts to get the latest updates and news about the 38th EACTS Annual Meeting.
In addition to over 70 fantastic focus sessions, the scientific programme will include high-quality abstract presentations showcasing the latest science from around the world. These presentations are selected from over 1300 general abstract submissions to bring you the very latest and best research.
Such was the positive response to our call for abstracts that we will present a selection of abstracts in poster format, giving you access to even more scientific insights and research.
General abstract submissions
1,300 abstracts submitted
From 67 countries
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
Options are available to access the Annual Meeting Scientific Programme, Techno-College and Video-on-Demand.
Register today
Get the inside scoop from industry leaders
We are proud to work with industry leaders to offer more learning opportunities beyond the scientific programme.
• Soak up the buzz of the EACTS Annual Meeting with a visit to the Exhibition Halls to exchange knowledge and ideas with industry leaders and like-minded peers from around the world
• Try out new-to-market devices, practice core skills and experience the latest digital technology with our industry-led dry and wet labs
• Take part in an industry-led satellite symposium and discuss innovations and developments in the cardiothoracic market with leading experts.
TRAINING SESSIONS
Hands-on training opportunities will be available as part of the EACTS Learning Lab, with all four domains planning interesting sessions focused on techniques that are becoming an increasing part of daily practice. View the EACTS Learning Lab programme
Submit by 15 August 2024
Late breaking trials are typically first-time, international presentations of the primary endpoint or important secondary endpoint results of prospective multi-centre randomised trials.
Your abstract could also present large-scale, impactful singlecentre or multicentre registries, first-in-man experiences with novel devices or drugs, or important follow-up data from major randomised trials. Submit your abstract
Submit by 31 July 2024
Nurses and Allied Health Professionals are invited to submit their abstracts for the dedicated Nurses and Allied Health Professional session at this year’s Annual Meeting.
Papers examining any part of the patient journey will be considered. These may include aspects of quality, clinical care, research, case studies or roles and workforce issues.
abstract
Honoured Guest
Amy Kerdok, Head of Product, Capstan Medical
"The impact of Interdisciplinary Innovation for Cardiothoracic Interventions: looking back to see what’s ahead."
Presidential Address
Franca Melfi
"Never give up: the power of success and perseverance."
Closing Keynote Roberto Jorge Canessa Urta, Pediatric Cardiologist, motivational speaker and former rugby player "How I survived impossible odds."
EACTS/AATS
Apply by 31 July 2024
The AATS Foundation is delighted to offer this award to recognise academic and scientific excellence for either an abstract or poster presentation, creating an opportunity for innovative work and ideas to be shared, and fostering collaboration among participants.
An award of up to $2,500 USD will be provided to a single recipient as determined by the Review Committee.
Apply today
Techno-College Innovation Award
Apply by 10 September 2024
Surgeons, engineers, innovators, researchers and scientists active in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery are invited to apply for the TechnoCollege Innovation Award.
We are looking for technological breakthroughs in all areas related to thoracic and cardiovascular research, particularly for new surgical methods or devices. Innovations can be in the form of patents, inventions, new products, ideas or services.
Kim Hyun Koo was awarded the Techno-College Innovation Award 2023 in recognition of his innovative miniatured endoscopic C-arm with ultra-low radiation exposure for image-guided surgery. He said, “It was an honour to be awarded the Techno-College Innovation Award and gain critical exposure for the endoscopic C-arm.”
Find out more and apply
Fees will include access to ALL scientific sessions, training sessions and the exhibition as well as lunch and refreshments throughout the conference.
Taking place in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 5-7 December, the conference programme features a world-class, international faculty, with experts from Europe, Latin America, and North America. who will address and explore the latest developments and best practices in coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, vulvular heart disease, thoracic aortic disease, atrial fibrillation, and the surgical management of heart failure.
Abstracts submission for the 2024 LATAM Conference is open until 18 August 2024.
Call for Abstracts | STS/EACTS Latin Amer (cardiovascularsurgeryconference.org)
A BIGGER AND BOLDER THORACIC PROGRAMME
The Thoracic Disease Domain has been working hard alongside the EACTS Academy team to deliver a fantastic programme of online and in-person courses for thoracic surgeons, focused on topical issues.
The domain’s excellent webinar series, which includes content relevant to surgeons from both a cardiac and thoracic background as well as other specialities, has expanded this year to offer five webinars. Still to come in 2024 is a joint webinar on
thromboendarterectomy with the cardiac domain, and a webinar covering the role for surgery in patients with myasthenia that has been arranged jointly with the European Association of Neurology. These webinars are free to EACTS members.
Richard Milton, Chair of the Thoracic Disease Domain, said, “We are fortunate to have a very active domain who make valuable contributions into the educational output through the Academy, amongst other things. We are increasing the amount of educational content for thoracic surgeons every year; a trend we will continue into 2025. We are also thrilled to offer these webinars free of charge for all members of EACTS.”
Endobronchial Skills for Surgeons
The third session of the 2024 Thoracic Disease Domain webinar series is focused on endobronchial procedures. Endobronchial approaches to diagnosis and managing airway emergencies is a vital part of a thoracic surgeon’s armamentarium.
Navigational bronchoscopy is becoming more commonplace to facilitate early diagnosis, and in the near future, robotic bronchoscopy, for example, using the Ion technology, will provide a way of diagnosing more peripheral lung lesions with a greater degree of accuracy. This potentially lends itself to the endobronchial treatment of peripheral lung cancers using ablative techniques. Although available in a few centres in the UK, this technology is more widespread in the US. This webinar will be an opportunity to demonstrate this technology and discuss these different endobronchial approaches.
The Fundamentals in Thoracic Surgery Part 2 course
The course will highlight some of the new advances in lung cancer diagnosis and management including radiological diagnosis of thoracic malignancy and oncological management of lung cancer.
This is a highly interactive course featuring surgical case videos and hands-on sessions demonstrating Rib Fixation, Rigid and Flexible Bronchoscopy and VATS Simulation. For those intent on sitting the European Board Examination in Thoracic Surgery, I cannot recommend the course highly enough.
MASTERCLASS IN LEADERSHIP:
Leading Effectively with Insight & Impact.
November 26-27 Windsor, UK
Cardiothoracic surgical training is focused on developing the medical and surgical skills to provide an excellent standard of patient care. However, for a surgeon to progress their career and work effectively as part of a team a different set of skills is required.
In addition to mastering complex technical skills, a surgeon requires leadership, verbal and non-verbal communication skills and a high level of emotional intelligence to effectively interact with other team members. The larger the team the surgeon leads, the more multi-factorial are the requirements for optimal team management.
Good leadership practices can be learned, developed and refined throughout a surgeon’s career. Given the unique features and needs of teams working within cardiothoracic surgery, the Women in Cardiothoracic Surgery Committee has developed a new EACTS Academy course to provide tailored education in leadership skills for surgeons.
During this two-day course, participants will be taught ways to recognise their leadership style, explore their emotional intelligence, learn how to lead through complex transitions and overcome bias and discrimination. Useful theoretical and practical advice on how to lead a team will be provided by a faculty including surgical leaders and leadership coaches.
This course is aimed at consultant-level surgeons, especially those applying for or starting their first leadership roles.
Course Director : Indu Deglurkar Cardiff, UK
Course Organisers:
• Francesca D'Auria, Italy
• Maroua Eid, France
• Anna Lena Emrich, Germany
• Miia Lehtinen, Finland
FORGING A NEW DIRECTION IN MCS
Ivan Netuka, one of the Chairs of the MSC Summit, sets out how this year’s Summit will look to the future of Mechanical Circulatory Support.
Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) is advancing. With refined technology, better treatment strategies and maturing therapy, outcomes for patients with MCS are dramatically improving. For some time, we have been confined to anecdotal evidence to demonstrate the impact of MCS but now, thanks to pivotal trials such as the ARIES trial we have rigorous evidence to help move the field forward.
These positive developments are a focus for this year’s MCS Summit, taking place in Prague from 7 – 9 November. This international meeting will bring together acclaimed world leaders in the field of MCS including Mandeep Mehra, who is spearheading the important ARIES trial, Nir Uriel from Columbia University and cardio-thoracic surgeon, Francis Pagani from Ann Arbor. Renowned speakers also include Manreet Kanwar and Rebecca Cogswell, experts in short-term mechanical support and international MCS registries.
Progress in MCS requires a joint effort from the whole heart team and this approach is reflected in the integrated programme,
designed to share the current developments in MCS as well as novel concepts and new opportunities.
Sessions will be future focused and include discussions on the advanced outcomes in cardiogenic shock, reflecting on the results of the recently published DANGER-SHOCK trial, and presentations on the paradigm of myocardial recovery with MCS support. Delegates will also learn more about the latest transatlantic guidelines as well as updates on ongoing and novel designs pragmatic trials in MCS.
In addition to a busy programme of debates, presentations and panel discussions, we will host a special quiz for junior participants in the field of MCS. This will be a fantastic mix of fun and hard science. Countries or centres are encouraged to put together a team for this race with appealing prizes for winners.
Our excellent organising network for the EACTS MCS Summit is now further strengthened by Prof. Daniel Zimpfer and his colleagues from the University of Vienna. We are all looking forward to welcoming you to one of Europe’s finest capitals, the beautiful city of Prague, which has both a rich history and considerable accomplishments in the field of MCS.
DON'T MISS THE AORTIC VALVE REPAIR AND ROSS OPERATION COURSE
Developed by the Acquired Cardiac Disease Domain, the Aortic Valve Repair and Ross Operation course is unique to the Academy programme, combining two types of aortic valve surgery – aortic valve repair and Ross Operation.
Laurent de Kerchove, Course Director and Head of the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Department at the Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, outlines some of the key reasons why this interactive two-day course is a must-attend.
It is important that all cardiac surgeons early in their careers understand the theory behind aortic value repair and the Ross Operation. Not only to maximise their chances to start or be involved in such a programme in their home centre but also to have an informed opinion about all the available techniques and what corresponds best to their own practice and facilities. Technical modifications of the Ross procedure have revived this operation as a viable option to treat young patients with aortic diseases.
The development of 3D imaging to reconstruct the aortic root and aortic valve and surrounding structure in the anatomy of a living patient offers new possibilities for surgical planning. We are fortunate to have Justin Tretter, the leading expert in this computer tomography imaging, as part of our course faculty to demonstrate how this technology can support preoperative planning to assess the aortic valve –anatomically and functionally - and help surgeons choose the appropriate technique to repair the valve.
We will discuss the latest recommendations which significantly change how we treat aortic insufficiency and aneurysm. Notably, that patients will survive longer if surgical intervention is earlier on severe aortic insufficiency when the patient is asymptomatic, and the left ventricle has a good function but is dilated in dimension or volume. These two
guidelines are written independently but are interconnected with regards to the aortic root pathology, so it is important to consider the valve in the aortic root and have an awareness of the two recommendations.
This course is not just important for cardiac surgeons. Aortic valve repair and Ross Operation require a team effort, so it is hugely beneficial to register other team members such as anesthetists and cardiologist for this course, who bring their own expertise and questions. This is an opportunity to learn together - about the emerging possibilities to plan and perform this surgery and how to check the results intraoperatively – in order to improve patient outcomes.
Bringing live surgery into the meeting is a chance to discuss the procedures from beginning to end. From the echo to the operating room, we will discuss the patient’s clinical history, the decision-making process, and the outcome. Participants can see firsthand the surgeon’s experience, ask questions, and be reassured when they have to face a similar situation in their home centre.
Aortic Valve Repair and Ross Operation
19-20 September 2024
Brussels, Belgium
UPCOMING COURSES
LEARN FROM THE BEST WITH AN EACTS EDUCATION FELLOWSHIP
Applications for our prestigious Francis Fontan Fund Education Fellowships open 1 July. Be sure to apply for the chance to take up the unique and exciting opportunity to advance your surgical education while working at world-renowned institutions.
The fellowships provide foundational knowledge in specific aspects of cardiothoracic surgery, from aortic root and valve repair to advanced intensive post-operative care. Whether you're a surgeon-in-training, a researcher eager to make a breakthrough or a clinician seeking to advance your knowledge and practice, our Education Fellowships will support and advance your career.
UKRAINIAN SUPPORT FELLOWSHIP
This Fellowship is for Ukrainian trainees whose teaching activities have been affected by the ongoing conflict.
Hosted by the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, and with a grant of €8,000, this two-month fellowship focusses on continuing surgical education in cardiovascular surgery and intensive care management. Last year’s Fellow explains:
“The Ukrainian Support Fellowship provides a fantastic opportunity to delve into the various aspects of cardiothoracic surgery under the guidance of experienced surgeons. I have acquired knowledge and skills across robotics, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and minimally invasive procedures that have shaped my understanding of the field and have inspired me to reach for new milestones in patient treatment.
I have always dreamed of publishing a research paper in cardiothoracic surgery. Thanks to this Fellowship, I have been able to make this dream come true by working with staff physicians, residents and fellows. I have now been able to publish three papers and contribute to the upcoming edition of the Atlas of Cardiac Surgical Techniques.
THORACIC SURGERY FOUNDATION & FRANCIS FONTAN FUND INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLING FELLOWSHIP
This Fellowship is a unique opportunity for a young surgeon to develop their skills. The successful applicant will use a €16,500 grant to travel internationally to another institution. There they will spend 4-16 weeks learning a novel technique, adapting innovative technology and fostering collaboration between surgical investigators. They will take this learning home with them, furthering the progress of cardiothoracic surgery at their home institution.
I highly recommend applying for the Fellowship – it offers an invaluable opportunity to connect with surgeons from all over the world, observe their practices and apply learnings to your home centre.”
Anton Pechenenko – Ukrainian Support Fellowship
AORTIC ROOT AND VALVE REPAIR FELLOWSHIP
This Fellowship provides an opportunity to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge in the surgical management of patients with aortic root dilatation and aortic regurgitation, with special interest in the sparing of the aortic valve.
The Fellowship includes a grant for €6,200 and attendance at two specialist EACTS courses –‘Fundamentals in Aortic Surgery’, and the ‘Aortic Forum’. Fellows will also get to complete three one-week internships in a high-volume centre in either Paris, Rome and Madrid or Brussels, Homburg and Madrid.
Read more about all eight fellowships on the EACTS website, including:
• Thoracic Surgery Foundation & Francis Fontan Fund International Travelling Fellowship in partnership with LACES
• Advanced Intensive Postoperative Care Fellowship
• OPCAB Extended Fellowship in partnership with Medtronic
• MiCS Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (MiCS-CABG) Fellowship in partnership with Medtronic
• Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Fellowship in partnership with Medtronic
Don't miss this exciting opportunity to learn new skills and techniques from leading experts around the world.
GETTING HANDS-ON WITH OFF-PUMP CORONARY SURGERY
Simon Duggan was awarded the Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Fellowship 2034/24. Here, he tells us about his experience, what he learned and why any surgeon interested in off-pump surgery should apply for the fellowship
“While the majority of patients who need coronary surgery will be on-pump, some will need off-pump surgery”, Simon explains. “Off-pump is more challenging as the heart is still beating, and I wanted to be able to provide the full gamut of different techniques to our patients. I’ve always liked off-pump surgery; it was part of my training in Oxford and in Bristol, and the fellowship gave me the opportunity to learn from the best. It was a great to explore more of the discipline and learn more skills.”
The Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Fellowship includes access to organised courses, followed by a two-week internship at a high-volume centre. Simon was based at Santa Cruz Hospital in Lisbon, Portugal, where he was immersed in offpump surgery from day one.
“I was in theatre every day, for two cases a day,” he explains. “Actually, being there with the surgeons was instrumental to understanding the intricacies of off-pump surgery. I saw a wide range of cases of different complexities, and the surgeons would explain things and teach as the case went on. They would show me as they worked, and we would each do bits of the surgery.”
The focus on teaching and learning at the hospital is a core part of the fellowship. “They devoted real time to teaching,” Simon says. “They were very welcoming, very hospitable, it was a lovely unit, and they were very keen to impart their knowledge.”
Off-pump surgery is a technically challenging area, and this fellowship is designed to explain the complexities and help surgeons grow their skills and confidence. Simon was able experience heart positioning using stabilising equipment and develop his understanding of how to position the heart, open the vessel and place the shunt, alongside the different techniques of suturing managing haemodynamics.
“Because you’ve got a beating heart it's a very fluid, dynamic process,” he says. “The surgeons I was working alongside showed me how important it is to work as a team with the anaesthetists, and make sure you’re fully coordinated.”
Because off-pump surgery so complex, many surgeons introduce it into their practice gradually. This fellowship supports surgeons in this learning process by allowing them to build connections with more experienced colleagues, which can develop into mentoring and proctoring relationships. “The whole team in Lisbon were brilliant; they made me feel at home. I was only there for two weeks, and in that time, they were really trying to involve me in everything”, Simon says.
He describes the fellowship as the beginning of a journey, and says he plans to start using what he learned when working alongside the off-pump surgeons in his home unit. “The fellowship was a fantastic initial step for me. It has given me the tools, the learning and the relationships I need to make progress in my surgical practice. The teaching was superb; I developed new skills and I left feeling more connected to the surgical community. It was a fantastic experience, and I would encourage all prospective candidates to go for it. Apply and even if you don't get it that year, apply the following year.”
Applications for the 2025 Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Fellowship in partnership with Medtronic open on July 1st. Find out more and apply on our website.
The Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Fellowship includes access to organised courses, followed by a two-week internship at a high-volume centre.
VIDEO CONTENTADDED IN ISSUU
Hear from past fellow Valeria Iturriaga on how the skills she learned helped her improve patient outcomes.
