For the first time, the St George’s Valve Technology Symposium—now in its seventh year—will be an integral part of the Charing Cross International Symposium. Now called the CX St George’s Valve Technology Symposium, the event will take place during the first two days of the 34th CX Symposium (14–17 April 2012, Imperial College London, UK). Its theme, in keeping with the CX Symposium’s this year’s overall theme of “Controversies”, is “Valve Technology Controversies” in percutaneous valve techniques.
The first day of the symposium (Saturday 14 April) will focus on managing thoracic aorta diseases and will include talks on preventing paraplegia in aortic surgery and the endovascular management of acute type B dissection. The second day (Sunday 15 April) will review the management of valvular heart disease. The programme complements the thoracic day (Monday 16 April) of CX.
Marjan Jahangiri, professor of Cardiac Surgery, St George’s Hospital, University of London, UK, and programme director of the CX St George’s Valve Technology Symposium, told Cardiovascular News that there would also be a series of debates and case presentations during the two-day event. She added: “As the techniques are now more effective, this is a very good opportunity to discuss controversies around new modalities for the treatment of valve disease.”
The main discussion will happen around the topics surgery vs. transcatheter aortic valve implantation, minimally invasive surgery vs. transcatheter approach and the different techniques of percutaneous intervention. Mitral and tricuspid valve intervention will also be addressed.
According to Jahangiri, the programme is aimed at interventional cardiologists, cardiac and cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiac theatre and cath lab nurses and technicians, cardiac anaesthestists, and intensive care specialists. She explained that there would be opportunities for all delegates, especially trainees, to try some of the new technologies on mannequins.
Each year, the CX Symposium attracts more than 3,000 delegates from 75 countries. For more information on registering to attend the symposium, which is Europe’s longest running vascular symposium, and the CX St George’s Valve Technology Symposium, visit: www.cxsymposium.com
