Date(s)
Event dates
May 9–10, 2024
Location
Location
Peachtree Corners, GA
Area of Practice
Hands-on team training in robotic mitral valve repair, coronary bypass, and more.

Gain extensive hands-on procedural experience while performing robotic cardiac surgery procedures in a realistic simulation environment under the guidance of experienced expert surgeons. A state-of-the-art training facility with multiple operating bays fitted with surgical robots will afford a true hands-on experience for every attendee. The course is designed for either new teams desiring to start a robotic cardiac surgery program or early experienced robotic surgeons and teams, including bedside first assistants. Attendees will be exposed to both robotic mitral valve procedures and robotic coronary revascularization. The course consists of one day of hands-on simulation workshop and one day of didactic lectures, case videos, and faculty discussion. 

Exhibitor Opportunities
 

Target Audience

Attendees will be assigned to either beginner or advanced group based on training level, individual experience, and composition of registered participants. Completion of five (5) robotic cases prior to hands-on/in-person training is required.

  • Beginner’s group: Surgeons and bedside assistants with prior open cardiac surgery experience looking to learn the basics of robotic practice (minimally invasive experience is encouraged but not necessary). Some prior robotic experience required.
  • Advanced group: Surgeons and bedside assistants with prior (could be limited) robotic cardiac surgery experience looking to advance their skills or adding new procedures to their repertoire of their robotic surgical skills.
     

Agenda

Day 1 – Thursday, May 9
Time Activity
7 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. ET Registration/Breakfast Symposium
7:45 a.m. – 7:50 a.m. ET Welcome and Introductions
7:50 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. ET Description of Lab
Group and Lab Assignments
8:15 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET Break/Visit Exhibits
Group 1 remains at hotel
Group 2 departs for Intuitive Labs
8:30 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. ET Group 1: Beginner Coronary Lectures
  • Patient Selection and Preoperative Assessment
    Stephanie L. Mick, MD, New York, NY 
  • Room/Patient Setup and Port Placement
    Dominic A. Emerson, MD, Los Angeles, CA
  • Perfusion Strategy and Myocardial Protection
    Michael Ibrahim, MD, PhD, Philadelphia, PA
  • Role of Beside First Assistant – Single or Dual Surgeon Team
    Eugene A. Grossi, MD, New York, NY
9 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET Group 2 Advanced Coronary Lab
9:50 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. ET Break / Visit Exhibits
10:10 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. ET Group 1: Beginner Coronary Lectures (cont'd.)
  • Mitral Valve Repair – Simple Resection Technique
    Vinay Badhwar, MD, Morgantown, WV
  • Mitral Valve Repair – Simple Neochord Technique
    Arnar Geirsson, MD, New York, NY
  • Troubleshooting an Incomplete Repair and  Complications in Robotic Mitral Valve Surgery: How To Avoid, When To Convert
    Joanna Chikwe, MD, FRCS, Los Angeles, CA
  • Robotic Left-Sided Maze and Appendage LAAL
    Arman Arghami, MD, MPH, Rochester, MN
  • Panel Discussion 
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. ET Lunch
11:45 a.m.  Break / Lunch / Visit Exhibits
12 p.m. Why Become a Robotic Cardiac Surgeon: History And Future
W. Randolph Chitwood Jr., MD, Greenville, NC
12:30 p.m.  Break / Lunch / Visit Exhibits
12:45 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. ET Group 1: Beginner Mitral Lectures
  • Patient Selection/Indication
    Brittany A. Zwischenberger, MD, Durham, NC
  • Pre-Operative Imaging for Robotic CABG
    Bob Kiaii, MD, FRCSC, Sacramento, CA
  • Hybrid Coronary Revascularization
    Amalia A. Jonsson, MD, Atlanta, GA
  • I Just finished my Fellowship: How Do I Become a Robotic Coronary Surgeon?
    Chase R. Brown, MD, Philadelphia, PA
1 p.m. – 4 p.m.  Group 2 Advanced Mitral Lab
2:05 p.m. – 2:25 p.m. ET Break / Visit Exhibits
2:25 p.m. – 4 p.m. ET Group 1: Beginner Mitral Lectures (cont'd.)
  • Progression in Robotic ITA Harvesting
    Gianluca Torregrossa, MD, Wynnewood, PA
  • MIDCAB: Technical Aspects
    Michael E. Halkos, MD, Atlanta, GA
  • Avoiding Complications: When To Convert
    Karen A. Gersch, MD, Gainesville, GA
  • Robotic MIDCAB: My Evolution Over 10 Years
    Danny Ramzy, MD, PhD, Houston, TX
  • Panel Discussion
4 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET Break / Visit Exhibits
Group 2 Returns to Hotel
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET Groups 1 & 2 Lectures
  • Steps to Building a Successful Program
    Arnar Geirsson, MD, New York, NY
  • What Is the Future of Robotic Cardiac Surgery?
    Vinay Badhwar, MD, Morgantown, WV
  • Panel Discussion
5:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. ET Reception / Visit Exhibits

 

Day 2 – Friday, May 10
Time Activity
7 a.m. – 7:45 a.m ET Registration / Breakfast / Breakfast Symposium
7:45 a.m. – 8:05 a.m. ET Review of Day 1 / Schedule Overview
8:05 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. ET Description of Lab. 
Group and Lab Assignments. 
8:15 a.m. Break / Visit Exhibits
Group 1 Departs for Intuitive Labs
Group 2 Remains at Hotel
8:30 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. ET Group 2: Advanced Mitral Lectures
  • Approaching the Mitral Valve – Total Endoscopic
    T. Sloane Guy, MD, MBA, Gainesville, GA
  • Approaching the Mitral Valve – Mini-Thoracotomy
    Serguei Melnitchouk, MD, Boston, MA
  • Complex Mitral Valve Repair
    Douglas A. Murphy, MD, Atlanta, GA 
  • Valve Repair Challenges and Mitigation
    A. Marc Gillinov, MD, Cleveland, OH
9 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET Group 1 Beginner Coronary Lab
9:50 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. Break / Visit Exhibits
10:10 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Group 2: Advanced Mitral Lectures (cont'd.)
  • Robotic Mitral Valve Replacement
    Arman Arghami, MD, MPH, Rochester, MN
  • Tips and Tricks (Improving Exposure, Dealing with LAA)
    Philip G. Rowse, MD, Rochester, MN
  • Tricuspid Valve Repair, Simple and Complex
    Joanna Chikwe, MD, FRCS, Los Angeles, CA
  • Moving Beyond the Simple Stuff (AVR, Multivalve Repair, Myectomy)
    Vinay Badhwar, MD, Morgantown, WV
  • Panel discussion
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. ET Lunch / General Lectures 
11:45 a.m. Break / Visit Exhibits / Lunch
12 p.m. Robotic Mitral Repair after Sternotomy
Douglas A. Murphy, MD, Atlanta, GA
12:30 p.m. Break / Lunch / Visit Exhibits
12:45 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. Group 2: Advanced Coronary Lectures
  • Technical Aspects of BITA Takedown
    Husam H. Balkhy, MD, Chicago, IL
  • Robotic MIDCABG in the Challenging Patient
    Karen A. Gersch, MD, Gainesville, GA 
  • Optimizing Outcomes in Robotic CABG: Best Practices and Innovation
    Bob Kiaii, MD, FRCSC, Sacramento, CA 
  • Robotic On-Pump CABG
    Johannes Bonatti, MD, Pittsburgh, PA
1 p.m. – 4 p.m.  Group 1 Beginner Mitral Lab
2:05 p.m. – 2:25 p.m. ET Break / Visit Exhibits
2:25 p.m. – 4 p.m. ET Group 2: Advanced Coronary Lectures (cont'd.)
  • Multivessel Off-Pump TECAB
    Husam H. Balkhy, MD, Chicago, IL
  • TECAB Without the Endo-Wrist Stabilizer
    Gianluca Torregrossa, MD, Wynnewood, PA
  • Robotic CABG: Training the Next Generation of Surgeons
    Michael E. Halkos, MD, Atlanta, GA
  • Can We Revamp the Hybrid Trial? (2.0)
    John D. Puskas, MD, Atlanta, GA
  • Panel Discussion
4 p.m. ET End of  Workshop

 

 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Understand basic skills required to perform robotic cardiac surgery including mitral valve repair and coronary revascularization. 
  • Increase their knowledge base of current evidence and surgical literature related to robotic cardiac surgery.
  • Identify different robotic techniques and practice models. 
  • Explain different peripheral perfusion techniques and myocardial protection strategy in robotic cardiac surgery. 
  • Discover advanced techniques in robotic cardiac surgery including concomitant operation, aortic valve replacement and total endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB). 
  • Interact with experts in the field and become a member of the robotic cardiac surgery community.
     

Course Directors 

Arnar Geirsson, MD, New York, NY 
Arman Arghami, MD, MPH, Rochester, MN 
Husam H. Balkhy, MD, Chicago, IL 
Joanna Chikwe, MD, FRCS, Los Angeles, CA 
Gianluca Torregrossa, MD, Wynnewood, PA
 

STS/TSF Advanced Robotic Cardiac Surgery Fellowship

The Thoracic Surgery Foundation (the charitable arm of STS) offers a $25,000 advanced fellowship opportunity to a surgeon and their institution to support and facilitate the initiation of a high quality robotic cardiac surgery program at their home institution. Applicants must attend the 2024 STS Workshop on Robotic Cardiac Surgery, meet specific requirements confirming institutional support and resources, and have experience performing mitral valve repair and replacement. Learn more
 

Pricing

  Early Bird Pricing 
Through March 27, 2024
Standard Pricing
March 28 - May 10, 2024
STS Members (Surgeon, Associate Physician)* $1,150 $1,250
STS Members (Medical Student, Resident/Fellow, Associate)* $550 $650
Non-Member Physicians $1,450 $1,550
Non-Member Medical Students, Trainees, Allied Health $650 $750

*An STS Member ID (6 digits) is required to receive the discounted member rate. For help with an STS Member ID, contact Member Services.
 

Register Now

 

Housing

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hilton Atlanta Northeast (5993 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092). The special group rate is $154, plus state and local taxes. This rate is available until Wednesday, April 17, 2024, on a first-come, first-served basis. There are two ways to reserve a room in the STS block:

Cancelations 

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons will issue a refund, minus a $100 administrative fee, for all cancelations received in writing to the Meetings Department by Thursday, April 25, 2024. No refunds will be issued after this date.
 

Accreditation Statement

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons designates this live activity for a maximum of 13.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Physician Assistants (PAs) may claim AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for completing this activity.