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More than 100 cardiothoracic surgeons, fellows, residents, and advanced practice providers participated in the 2024 STS Mastering Valve Surgery Workshop in Chicago on Sept 20-21. The two-day event included lectures, case-based presentations, and breakout sessions focused on mastering modern-day valve surgery, including open and transcatheter procedures for aortic, mitral, and tricuspid valves.

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"This workshop stands out for its unique blend of theoretical instruction and practical hands-on training, covering both surgical and transcatheter techniques for all valve types," said co-course director Tsuyoshi Kaneko, MD, of Washington University in St. Louis. "The active participation and insightful questions from both domestic and international attendees highlighted the course's relevance and impact."

Attendees honed their skills through small-group, hands-on experiences in wet lab settings to learn the latest in advanced valve techniques (aortic root enlargement, Ross Procedure, minimally invasive valve surgery), transcatheter therapies, and atrial fibrillation.

"I'm pleased that the valve surgery courses encompassed both traditional surgical techniques and emerging transcatheter procedures," said co-course director Katherine Harrington, MD, of Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas. “To remain at the forefront of the latest technologies in the field, we must continually update our knowledge and ensure our outcomes are exceptional, fostering collaboration with structural heart experts."

Here's what a few attendees said about the Valve Surgery Workshop:

• "I enjoyed the panel discussions at the end of each session and found the small-group wet labs extremely helpful.” — Alex Wang, physician assistant, Johns Hopkins Health System
• "The best sessions were aortic root enlargement by Dr. Yang, mitral valve surgery by Dr. Badhwar, and TAVR explant by Dr. Kaneko."
• "Overall, it was a valuable experience to interact with experts and directly view the pig heart. The catheter-based procedure simulators were also helpful for learning."
• "Great courses and discussion topics, exemplary faculty, and I enjoyed the hands-on sessions."
• "Moving forward, I will adopt the aortic root enlargement technique as explained by Dr. Yang, the mitral valve replacement technique of Dr. Badhwar, and the Ross Procedure technique detailed by Dr. El-Hamamsy. I also intend to incorporate the maze and atrial clip procedures more frequently into my practice."

Check out our event photo gallery. 
 

Earlier this month, more than 470 data managers attended the 2024 Advances in Quality & Outcomes: A Data Manager’s Meeting (AQO) in Nashville, both virtually and in person. Throughout the successful three-day event, surgical team data managers deepened their understanding of the STS National Database. They learned about new features, functionality, quality improvement initiatives, and research outcomes from surgeon leaders, Database platform experts, and fellow data managers. This expanded knowledge will help them be integral to their heart team as they lead their centers to improve clinical outcomes and patient safety using the STS National Database.

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The event showcased the Database's unique analytical power in supporting ongoing outcomes analysis and continuous improvement efforts for each institution. Experts led in-depth discussions and presented four learning tracks to help users master each Database registry: Adult Cardiac, Congenital Heart, General Thoracic, and Intermacs/Pedimacs.

Here’s what a few attendees had to say:

• “Thank you for the opportunity to speak at AQO this year. It was very well organized, and I felt I had excellent communication throughout the process. I know A LOT of work goes into coordinating events like this, so thank you for your efforts. It was really nice to get to talk with other users and share tips and tricks!” – Marie Wilson, MSHQS, MSN, RN, quality coordinator at University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital
• “The conference last week was great!  I really enjoyed the presentations, Q&A, and meeting other data managers.  Keep up the great work!”– Clera Sugarbaker, performance improvement analyst/abstractor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• “Thank you for a great conference. I am proud to be a part of the STS Intermacs community. We truly do great things!! Looking forward to what is to come.” – Elizabeth Spreen, RN, clinical quality analyst at Baton Rouge General Medical Center

Check out the AQO photo gallery.