In this issue: 02 Welcome to 10 Vascular VAM Workforce A message How can from the SVS president vascular surgery build a workforce ready for 06 TCAR future patient needs? Data demonstrates durable long-term 16 PAD outcomes with few Research supports reinterventions conservative approach to claudication in elderly patients
FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2026 | BOSTON CONFERENCE EDITION
THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE
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SPOTLIGHT
DAY 3 & 4 HIGHLIGHTS
DEEP VEIN ARTERIALIZATION CHALLENGES NOTION OF ‘NO-OPTION’ CLTI By Maria Gifford
“Patients previously considered ‘no-option’ may no longer truly be without options,” said Anahita Dua, MD, associate professor at Harvard Medical School and a vascular surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital. That assertion sums up the central finding of an analysis comparing deep vein arterialization (DVA) with the current standard of care for nooption chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) which Dua presented during the Women’s Section session on Thursday. No-option CLTI represents the most severe end of the peripheral artery disease spectrum, encompassing patients who have exhausted conventional revascularization options and face extremely high rates of major amputation and death. Historically, once classified as no-option, clinical conversations shifted from limb salvage toward amputation planning. DVA offers an alternative by routing oxygenated arterial blood retrograde through the venous system to perfuse ischemic
foot tissue, bypassing the absence of viable distal arterial targets entirely. “What makes DVA so important is that it creates a pathway to perfuse tissue in patients who otherwise have no distal arterial targets available for conventional revascularization,” said Dua. “In many ways, it transforms a previously unsalvageable limb into one with a realistic opportunity for healing and preservation.” The study compared outcomes from the PROMISE trials with those from the CLariTI registry, a prospective observational study reflecting the natural history and standardof-care management of no-option CLTI patients. At one year, limb salvage rates reached approximately 71% in the DVA cohort versus 50% in the standard-of-care cohort.
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Starting Friday at 6:30 a.m. is the Arab American Vascular Surgeons Section, highlighting how Arab American vascular surgeons contribute to improving patient care, training, research and global collaboration. Plenary Session 5 follows directly after at 8:00 a.m. in Ballroom B on the third floor. At 10:00 a.m. is Plenary Session 6. Linda Harris, MD, will then introduce the presidential address at 11:00 a.m., which will be given by Keith Calligaro, MD. Later in the afternoon, Hall D plays host to the Trainee Recruitment and Networking Fair at 3:30 p.m., presented by SVS in collaboration with the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery (APDVS), offering trainees the opportunity to connect directly with vascular surgery residency and fellowship programs. SVS members will convene for the annual Business Meeting on the third floor in Ballroom A at 5:15 p.m. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with industry colleagues in the Exhibit Hall, which is open from 9:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Make sure to also check out some hands-on learning at the Wound Care Pavilion and Touchpoint @ VAM. Saturday morning highlights include Plenary Session 7 taking place in Ballroom A from 7:009:30 a.m. The Wesley S. Moore Distinguished Lecture follows at 9:30 a.m., which will see Peter Schneider, MD, discussing the future of carotid disease management after the CREST-2 trial. Later that morning, the Poster Championship will run from 10:15-11:15 a.m. and the day will end with Plenary Session 8 from 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.