"Emerging Directions for the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon" to be co-sponsored by the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS)
TCT for Surgeons will showcase the expansion of hybrid surgical and interventional techniques in the field that are improving outcomes for patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Now in its fourth year, the course will run during TCT 2010 from September 21-25, 2010, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC.
"This meeting will drive forward the growing collaboration among interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons in the treatment of patients with structural and coronary artery disease," said Mathew Williams, MD, Course Director and Surgical Director, Cardiovascular Transcatheter Therapies, at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
"The surgeon brings tremendous knowledge, a valuable skill set, and a unique perspective 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."
One of the course highlights will be an overview of hybrid coronary therapy, which involves a combination of traditional surgery along with the placement of coronary stents in patients with coronary artery disease. The chosen therapy, whether it is angioplasty, surgery, or a combination of the two, should be determined specifically for an individual patient, Dr. Williams said.
