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New Task Forces
Supporting thoracic
Giuseppe Cardillo, Chief of Thoracic Surgery at San Camillo Forlanini Hospital in Rome and Chair of the new Solitary Pulmonary Nodule Task Force.
I have been involved with EACTS for a number of years, including as a member of the Thoracic Disease Domain for four years and as a member of EACTS Council. I am honoured to take up the position of Chair of the new Solitary Pulmonary Nodule (SPN) Task Force, which adds some powerful and fresh energy to the Thoracic Disease Domain.
We want to be a highly active task force and our long-term aims include writing position papers and clinical guidelines as well as organising surveys and trials. We are also supporting the Thoracic Disease Domain in the development of a thoracic surgery curriculum. Our first webinar on 7th September focuseson VATS Segmentectomies and we are planning further webinars as part of the EACTS Academy programme. Members of the SPN Task Force include a core team of wellrespected and experienced colleagues in the field of thoracic surgery. The task force is open to every EACTS member who is keen to be involved. I consider the task force to have an important role as a ‘think tank’ and our members’ knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our work. As a new task force, we are keen for more members to join us, particularly less experienced surgeons. We have organised a meeting for all members during the 37th EACTS Annual Meeting, which will be an opportunity to further cement our plans.
Task Force members
Vincent Fang
Eric Roessner
Sara Ricciardi
Akshay Patel
Advancing Thoracic Robotic Surgery
Marion Durand, Head of Thoracic Surgery Department in Groupe Hospitalier Privé Ambroise Paré Hartmann, Paris, France and Chair of the Thoracic Robotic Task Force.
This is an exciting time for thoracic surgery. Minimally invasive approaches using a robotic platform have proved to be a game changer in thoracic surgery for cancer treatment and patients’ recovery. The industry is delivering more products in this area, so it is important that we have the right pathways in place to ensure these innovations are adopted safely and effectively and that surgeons are able to maintain skills and knowledge.
Thoracic surgery is becoming more prominent within EACTS. For the first time we have a Vice President and future President who is a great woman surgeon pioneer in thoracic robotic surgery, my dear friend Franca Melfi from Pisa, Italy. The Thoracic Disease Domain, led by Richard Milton, has also developed a fantastic new programme of educational courses, including Techno-College at the EACTS Annual Meeting, which was well-received last year.
Given the advances in thoracic robotic surgery it appeared fundamental to have a dedicated robotic task force for thoracic surgery. It is the first task force within the thoracic domain, and it is a great honour to serve as the Chair of this group.
This is a great opportunity to collaborate with European colleagues who are all working towards the same goals and believe in the same strategy with regards to thoracic robotic surgery. We recognise the opportunities to learn from each other and avoid duplication.
The aims of the Thoracic Robotic Task Force are divided into three clear components: education, academic and industry.
Education
We are already working on a number of educational initiatives including a new thoracic robotics fellowship as part of the Francis Fontan Fund. Young surgeons will be offered the chance to visit and learn from expert centres across Europe. Importantly,
as well as being able to observe robotic surgery in action, they will have an opportunity to perform surgery using a dual console. As part of our efforts to increase collaboration across Europe the task force will be joining the European Robotic School, a new programme initiated by the ESTS to provide a comprehensive pathway to train European junior surgeons in Robotic Thoracic Surgery.
Academic
The Thoracic Robotics Task Force is a great forum to establish multi centre scientific studies that will provide reliable data on robotic approaches.
Data are gold for improving our understanding and ultimately achieving better outcomes for our patients. As a task force we are keen to explore the development of a specific thoracic surgery robotics database.
Industry
Robotic surgery is constantly evolving so it is important that, as surgeons, we are aware of innovations in the field. An innovation survey, completed by industry, will help us stay aware of the latest developments in device technology as well as software such as 3D reconstruction.
Our preparations are also underway for the 37th EACTS Annual Meeting. In addition to a dedicated session on robotic surgery we will also welcome senior surgeons to share their knowledge and expertise as part of the thoracic Techno-College. This year we will have a “robotic room” for test drive and simulation with intuitive Da vinci Xi systems and also the new endobronchial navigation system, Ion.
We look forward to seeing you there and sharing more about our work.
