A Thoracic Programme with a Difference

Richard Milton, Chair of the Thoracic Disease Domain, outlines what delegates can expect from the thoracic programme at this year’s Techno-College.

The Thoracic Disease Domain has planned an exciting TechnoCollege programme at the 37th EACTS Annual Meeting, that not only covers a broad spectrum of topical issues but also caters to different skills and knowledge levels.

We’re also doing things a little differently this year. We not only have a fantastic full day programme focusing on the surgical and endoscopic management of emphysema in one session, and chest wall surgery in the other, but we are also running a robotics workshop in parallel to the main thoracic programme.

Supported by Intuitive, the robotic workshop is a unique opportunity for delegates to gain exposure to the Da Vinci technology as well as the Ion platform, which is an innovative way of performing robotically-assisted bronchoscopic lung biopsies. Delegates will also be shown how to make the most of the Intuitive Digital app if they wish.

This workshop is suitable for any delegates irrespective of their prior robotic experience. For those who are less familiar with robotic technology there will be an opportunity to practice basic robotic skills and robotic suturing. There is an additional small cost to take part in this workshop, which is well worth it and reflects its great value.

Lung volume reduction surgery has not featured in the programme for several years. This aspect to our practice is certainly becoming more prevalent, and this year we’re delighted to be running this morning session jointly with the European Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (EABIP). Case presentations will be followed by a focus on the surgical and various bronchoscopic techniques that we have available.

A great forum

This Techno-College will be a great forum to discuss all aspects of management with the faculty, consisting of pulmonologists and surgeons vastly experienced in this area. It is a privilege to work jointly with EABIP and we look forward to strengthening this relationship over the coming months and years with joint education events and more.

In the afternoon we will cover a broad spectrum of chest wall pathology including surgery for chest wall and sternal tumours, surgical correction of pectus carinatum and excavatum and rib fixation and chest wall stabilisation following trauma.

We’re thrilled to offer delegates a wide range of learning opportunities at this year’s Techno-College, making it a programme to remember, and on behalf of the Thoracic Domain, we hope to see you there.

Jörg Kempfert, a member of the New Technology Task Force, previews the cardiovascular programme at this year’s Techno-College.

We are delighted to kick off the 37th EACTS Annual Meeting with an inspiring full day Techno-College programme showcasing the latest innovations in cardiovascular surgery. Through live cases transmitted in 3D video and live-in-a-box presentations we will address the emerging topics in patient care as well as some of the prevalent issues facing cardiac surgeons today.

This year’s Techno-College will have a clear emphasis on new surgical techniques and innovative tools and devices to be used in surgical procedures. This includes live surgery demonstrations of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement, focusing on a new technique in annulus enlargement and endoscopic mitral valve repair with cryoablation which will showcase a new holographic imaging technique. For the first time, all the live surgery will be transmitted from the German Heart Centre in Berlin.

Delegates will also have the opportunity to view an endoscopic mitral valve replacement procedure using a brand new prothesis and automatic suturing device. In this case the endoscope will be controlled with a robotic camera arm.

The packed cardiovascular programme also includes a number of live-in-a-box presentations, highlighting interesting techniques for TAVI device explantation and a new frozen elephant graft for aortic arch replacement.

Techno-College is a great forum to learn more about new devices and this year’s programme includes presentations on a new laser assisted distal coronary artery connector device and as well as new devices for transcatheter mitral and tricuspid replacement.

We are always looking at new ways to improve the experience for delegates and this year we have invited a procedural analyst to join each session to provide a structured explanation of the technical details and key features of the latest techniques and devices showcased throughout the day. This is an exciting addition which we are confident will enhance the educational experience for delegates.