News & Media

An internationally renowned cardiothoracic surgeon known for his humility and civility passed away on November 20 at the age of 93. Vincent L. Gott, MD, became the Society’s 27th President in 1992 after having served as the Society’s Vice President. An STS member for more than 50 years, he also held positions on several committees. In his STS presidential address, “And It Happened During Our Lifetime…,” Dr. Gott discussed several pioneer surgeons and asked what they all had in common. “The descriptors I would use include brilliance, courage, dogged determination, and unbelievable creativity,” he said. Not surprisingly, those are some of the same words that his colleagues and friends now use as they remember him. STS Past President, William A. Baumgartner, MD, who was a longtime associate of Dr. Gott, said, "Vince was really a man for all seasons—he was an incredible clinical surgeon, an amazing innovator, and he was gracious, compassionate, and a model of civility. When you think of Vince, a smile comes on your face." Born in Wichita, Kansas, Dr. Gott had the privilege of spending time with a prominent plastic surgeon in his hometown and observing some of his operations. This experience influenced him to pursue a career in plastic surgery. But all that changed with a sketch and a surgery. After receiving his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Gott completed his internship and surgery residency at the University of Minnesota Hospitals. There, Dr. Gott was invited to observe C. Walton Lillehei, MD, as he repaired a congenital heart defect. Dr. Gott later sketched a procedural drawing of the surgery and added it to the patient's record. The skill and detail of the sketch so impressed Dr. Lillehei that he invited Dr. Gott to join his research laboratory. From that point on, Dr. Gott knew that cardiothoracic surgery was his future. In 1965, Dr. Gott became an associate professor of surgery at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and chief cardiac surgeon for The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he practiced for 55 years. During his career, Dr. Gott collaborated with some of the greatest minds in medicine, which led to extraordinary contributions. He was the first to perform experiments proving that an electronic stimulator could jump-start the heartbeats of patients—a discovery that led to the development of modern pacemakers. Dr. Gott also revolutionized heart valve designs and performed the first heart transplant operation at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. In addition, Dr. Gott was an expert in treating potentially deadly aortic aneurysms caused by Marfan syndrome.

STS News, Winter 2021 — Imagine this: You’re standing beside renowned surgeon Robert J. Cerfolio, MD, MBA, in an operating room at NYU Langone Health in New York City. You are watching every move he makes during a robotic lobectomy. You are listening intently as he talks you through his thought processes. You are looking around and able to see who is in the operating room, where they are standing, and what equipment is being used. And, almost unbelievably, you are doing all of this while sitting in front of your computer at home or in the office. That’s exactly what attendees can expect from “Immersive Video Experiences”—a new and exciting course series offered during STS 2021. “This is an amazing opportunity to bring the outside world into your operating room,” said Dr. Cerfolio. “Attendees will not only witness the technical aspects of a procedure, but they also will see and feel how you lead, how you inspire those around you to perform at their optimal levels, and how you make everyone in that room understand that although this is just another day of work for them, it’s that patient's only operation.”   In the OR with… The series, scheduled for Friday morning of STS 2021, will open with visits to the operating rooms of five different surgeon luminaries. These “In the OR” sessions will offer an interactive and visceral way to experience a robotic lobectomy, a congenital heart surgery, a valve-sparing aortic root procedure (reimplantation), a video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy, a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and a transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve replacement. Alongside world-class surgeons—Dr. Cerfolio, Joseph A. Dearani, MD, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Joseph E. Bavaria, MD, from Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, Shanda H. Blackmon, MD, MPH, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Vinod H. Thourani, MD, from Piedmont Heart Institute in Atlanta, Georgia—attendees will experience these procedures from start to finish and be able to take in the entire operating room environment in a way that they’ve never been able to do before—at least from in front of a computer screen. With the use of specialized 360° cameras, participants will observe not just the insides of the chests, but they also will witness all of the outside happenings, including the sights and sounds of the surgeries—all real-life, no avatars, drawings, or animations—just as though they are in the room. Dr. Cerfolio explained that the series makes available “all of the optics” in the operating room: How do the team members get along? How do they move around the OR? What’s the culture in the room? How is the OR set up? What's being said during the surgery? What is the leadership style of the surgeon? Is it effective? “The immersive video experiences don’t offer a myopic view that just studies the surgical field and the technical exercise of the operation. But more so, the series offers additional unique features that help participants really understand how surgery is a team sport,” he said. During the sessions, the surgeons will talk through the actual operative techniques, as well as demonstrate the difference between good outcomes and masterful ones. A moderator will discuss with the surgeon key aspects of the procedure, drive the 360° views, and engage the audience during interactive discussion periods. “While traditional videos of surgical or transcatheter procedures offer only a unidimensional experience, this program allows participants to be engrossed within all aspects of the procedures and is guaranteed to enhance the learning of these complex surgeries for not only practicing physicians, but also residents and the entire heart team,” said Dr. Thourani. Deep Dives into... Following the “In the OR with...” series will be 11 “Deep Dive” courses. In these sessions, expert surgeons will share comprehensive dives into particular procedures, using a combination of video segments and interactive group discussions. The detailed descriptions, in-depth explanations, and meaningful conversations will provide participants with a full-bodied understanding of the following topics: Essentials of TAVR Valve-Sparing Aortic Root Procedure (Reimplantation) VATS Lobectomy Robotic Lobectomy Transseptal Puncture for Surgeons Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy Chest Wall Reconstruction after Tumor Resection Ross and Ross-Konno–Preventing Neoaortic Root Dilatation Navigating Initial Nights on Call: A GPS Guide for Residents How can I get out of this operating room? Valve Replacement Strategies in Neonates and Infants The Immersive Video Experiences are an optional add-on program that can be secured during STS 2021 registration for an extra fee and include both the “In the OR with…” and “Deep Dives into...” sessions (16 in all). For more information, visit sts.org/annualmeeting.    

Joseph A. Dearani, MD STS News, Winter 2021 — It’s finally 2021. I’m glad that 2020 is in the rearview mirror. 2020 took a toll on everyone—from the global pandemic and greater awareness about social injustices, to wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. No one was immune from stress, exhaustion, and uncertainty. Cardiothoracic surgeons rose to the challenge, however, and showed their grit throughout the year. Every day, I am proud that I chose this profession. I am proud of my colleagues, especially those on the front lines who have consistently shown great compassion and strength. I also am proud to be an STS member. During a most difficult and disruptive year, volunteer leaders and staff forged ahead with initiatives that were already in process and used their ingenuity to introduce new ways of supporting the specialty and helping members with their day-to-day needs. Not only did the various phases of the next generation STS National Database push forward and continue to evolve and advance the specialty (see page 12), but we also offered a series of online educational opportunities that included basic and advanced virtual courses, hour-long webinars, 8-minute microlearning videos, and the long-awaited launch of the STS Cardiothoracic Surgery E-Book (see fall 2020 issue of STS News). In mid-December, on the day that a US Food and Drug Administration committee recommended approval of the first COVID vaccine, Dr. Melanie Edwards and I hosted an evening webinar during which we talked to three high-profile infectious disease experts who offered their expertise, advice, and guidance. We discussed COVID therapeutics, various nuances about the vaccine, how to keep health care workers safe, and talking points for our patients. If you didn’t have a chance to watch the webinar, it is available on the STS YouTube Channel or via the STS website at sts.org/covid-19. Because it will take months to distribute and administer vaccines around the world, Dr. Deborah Birx, from the White House Coronavirus Task Force, emphasized the importance of vigilant prevention. I echo her concerns that the presence of effective vaccines may lead some to act recklessly.   Please tell your family, friends, and patients to wear their masks, practice social distancing, and maintain routine health care. It’s also important to get a flu shot. Having coinfection with flu and COVID could be devastating. Life will get back to normal, but not any time soon. We need to be patient for a little longer, but I am confident that we again will rise to the challenge—as we have before—and we will get through this. Every day, I am proud that I chose this profession. I am proud of my colleagues, especially those on the front lines who have consistently shown great compassion and strength.  Joseph A. Dearani, MD STS 2021 In a few short weeks, STS will hold its annual meeting. Although STS 2021 will be virtual, that doesn’t mean it will be an online version of what you would experience in a convention center. Yes, you still will have the opportunity to hear about late-breaking research and witness pioneers and luminaries in our field discuss and debate important topics. But we’ve embraced technology and developed a program that will make the most of that online experience. The meeting will be interactive, allow you to see inside an operating room during a procedure, ask questions, chat with friends, and take part in social and wellness activities (see cover story).  A few months ago, when the Board of Directors made the very difficult decision to convert STS 2021 into a virtual meeting, we didn’t know how long the pandemic would last. Many of us were reluctant to change an event that we look forward to every year. We now know that we made the right decision. I want to express my gratitude to the Workforce on Annual Meeting, under the direction of Dr. Juan Crestanello and task force chairs Drs. Mara Antonoff, Tom Nguyen, Usman Ahmad, and Sloane Guy, for their strong work with the STS staff to create what will be an unforgettable experience. Advocacy Victory Before I sign off on my last STS President’s Column, I also want to thank my colleagues who worked tirelessly to fight—and beat—the unfortunate and misguided CMS decision to significantly cut Medicare reimbursement for cardiothoracic surgeons. We, again, rose to the challenge; we won the initial battle, but the fight is far from over. See page 18. Finally, I want to thank you and all STS members for their support and feedback. I am honored to have served as STS President for the past year. I look forward to seeing you virtually at STS 2021. Be well and be safe.