Emerging Directions for the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon

An in-depth five-day meeting focusing on novel and advanced surgical techniques and including a thorough introductory course on transcatheter coronary and valve disease therapies for the surgeon

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September 21-25, 2009
The Moscone Center
San Francisco, CA

The practice of cardiovascular surgery for coronary artery and valve disease is being transformed by lesser invasive endovascular and robotic approaches, new insights from pre-, post-, and intra-operative imaging, novel anastomotic connectors and ventricular support devices, and an increasing recognition of the advantages of hybrid surgical and percutaneous procedures. Advances in endograft technology and technique have revolutionized the treatment of aortic aneurysms and dissection.

At select medical centers cardiothoracic surgeons are being trained in percutaneous and transcatheter techniques for coronary and vascular intervention—with gratifying results.

The surgeon brings tremendous knowledge, a valuable skill set, and unique perspectives to the interventional environment, and the cross-trained surgeon is positioned ideally to make the most informed and unbiased treatment decision for patients with coronary and endovascular disease. In no subspecialty is this more critical than valvular heart disease, where the explosive growth of and experience with devices for transcatheter aortic valve replacement and mitral regurgitation promise to have a major impact on treatment pathways.

This five-day course will provide a contemporary review of the developing breakthroughs in surgical techniques and technologies, a thorough state-of-the-art review of medical, surgical, and transcatheter therapies for valvular heart disease, and a complete introductory course on percutaneous interventional cardiology for the surgeon interested in catheter-based approaches.

CME Accreditation and Designation

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

This activity has been approved  for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

• Describe the basics of angiography and the use of guide wires, guide catheters, and angioplasty equipment
• Recognize the terminology and results of percutaneous cardiovascular intervention and the complementary vs. alternative roles as compared with surgery
• Explain the current status of emerging catheter-based techniques in the fields of coronary, endovascular, and structural heart disease, including transcatheter valve therapy and aortic stent grafting

Target Audience

This course is designed for cardiothoracic surgeons, vascular surgeons, and other surgeons interested in interventional vascular medicine.

Activity Evaluation

Evaluation by questionnaire will address content, presentation, possible bias, and future educational needs.