The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is thrilled to reassemble for its 61st Annual Meeting Jan. 24-26 in Los Angeles, which brings together cardiothoracic surgeons from around the globe and features late-breaking scientific research, cutting-edge technologies, innovative cardiothoracic surgery products, dynamic and interactive training, and impactful networking and mentorship opportunities.
Image
STS 2025 will take place in Los Angeles.
Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the meeting offers attendees — more than 2,000 professionals at all career stages— a seamless experience with plenary sessions, breakout sessions, and the exhibit hall all conveniently located. That makes it easy for attendees to navigate and connect with colleagues and industry leaders.
On Thursday, Jan. 23, three concurrent half-day pre-conference symposia will enhance the educational experience. These sessions will cover advancements in lung cancer, the diagnosis and treatment of aortic disease for patients of all ages, and more.
The first day of the Annual Meeting will kick off with the Nina Starr BraunwaldExtraordinary Women in Cardiothoracic Surgery Awards breakfast. The event, co-hosted by STS and Women in Thoracic Surgery, will celebrate women cardiothoracic surgeons who have excelled in clinical practice, made significant contributions to the field, and demonstrated leadership, mentorship, integrity, creativity, and expertise.
The inaugural Nina Starr Braunwald Lecture will be presented by Jennifer Doudna, PhD, a Nobel Prize-winning biochemist renowned for her pioneering work in gene editing. She will explore how scientific innovation is shaping the future of medicine. The Vivien T. Thomas Lecture will feature award-winning photojournalist and filmmaker Ami Vitale. A passionate advocate for social responsibility, she will demonstrate how authentic storytelling can drive meaningful, positive change.
The Society will honor President Jennifer Romano, MD, MS, for her invaluable contributions to the organization as the first female president to hold the office. A special reception will be held at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, amidst a majestic backdrop of North American wildlife dioramas that adorn the hall. Space is limited for this event, so attendees are encouraged to add the reception to their cart during registration.
STS 2025 will offer practical courses on various surgical procedures, delivering an engaging and immersive learning experience for residents, early career surgeons, and all surgeons seeking to enhance their skills. The topics include aortic annular enlargement, TEVAR techniques for aneurysms and dissections, mitral valve repair, complex central airway reconstruction, and the Ross procedure.
For the second consecutive year, The Hub will serve as the focal point for cardiothoracic surgery trainees. The Hub’s lounge area will offer a variety of engaging sessions, including mock oral Interviews, job interview preparation, early career surgeon roundtable discussions, a trainee symposium with a luncheon, and more.
Attendees can also enjoy creative activities in The Hub, such as the collaborative mural project “Splashes of Hope,” where participants can contribute their creativity to artwork that will be donated to a local children's hospital. For those eager to capture memorable moments, the selfie station will offer a fun and interactive backdrop perfect for sharing on social media.
Additionally, a scavenger hunt will inspire attendees to engage in challenges via the Annual Meeting app, with opportunities to win prizes.
There’s still time to register, add ticketed events, and start planning your Los Angeles experience at sts.org/annualmeeting.
On day one of STS 2024, meeting goers attended numerous sessions that explored the growing debate between SAVR and TAVR as treatment options,
Dr. Michael Bowdish presents a late-breaking session on cardiac surgery after TAVR trends and outcomes.
"Improved Longitudinal Outcomes with Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement with Atrial Fibrillation Management over Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Alone," part of the larger "Bring SAVR Back" session given by J Hunter Mehaffey, MD, unveiled Class I guideline recommendations that support atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment during surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). And how recently, many low to intermediate risk patients with AF and aortic stenosis (AS) are managed by transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). And finally, they evaluated real-world longitudinal outcomes of TAVR vs SAVR with or without AF treatment.
"We concluded that in Medicare beneficiaries with AF who required aortic valve replacement, SAVR with concomitant treatment of AF was associated with improved longitudinal survival and freedom from stroke compared to TAVR," noted Dr. Mehaffey. "Consideration should be given for SAVR with AF treatment as a first-line approach for patients with AF requiring aortic valve replacement."
In his discussion of "Robotic Aortic Valve Replacement versus Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Propensity Matched Analysis," Vikrant Jagadeesan, MD, presented findings on contemporary data that supports equipoise between surgical aortic valve replacement and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for the management of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS). He further explained that controversy exists around the optimal management of patients in low to intermediate risk categories, and how the study compared outcomes of surgical robotic aortic valve replacement (RAVR) to TAVR.
"Compared to TAVR, RAVR was associated with lower stroke and PPM rates, less PVL, and improved 1 year survival," said Dr. Jagadeesan. "And RAVR may provide a safe and effective minimally invasive first-line alternative for low to intermediate risk patients presenting with symptomatic AS."
In a late breaking session titled, "Cardiac Surgery after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Trends and Outcomes," Michael Bowdish, MD, illustrated how his research team set out to document trends and outcomes in cardiac surgery following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a topic gaining importance as reports of subsequent cardiac operations and early TAVR explantations increase. Using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database, the study covers adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery after an initial TAVR from January 2012 to March 2023.
"The study findings underscore the escalating need for both aortic and non-aortic valve cardiac surgeries following TAVR," explained Dr. Bowdish. "They note a substantial increase in the frequency of these surgeries, emphasizing the importance of understanding outcomes." He observed elevated risk in these cases, as indicated by mortality and stroke rates, which calls for careful consideration, particularly given the expanding use of TAVR across a broader range of age and risk profiles. Finally, the study suggests the need for ongoing assessment and longitudinal evidence to inform decision-making in the evolving landscape of TAVR applications.
July 25, 2023, Chicago, Ill… The Society of Thoracic Surgeons has launched its next-generation Operative Risk Calculator to assess the risk of adult cardiac surgery operations.
Recent approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have made available two new technologies for treating aortic disease. The GORE® TAG® Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis (TBE) is single-branch aortic stent graft that provides an off-the-shelf solution for patients that need zone II aortic coverage and obviates the need for prior left subclavian revascularization. The Thoraflex Hybrid Frozen Elephant Trunk (FET) device is a pre-mated surgical graft and an aortic stent graft to facilitate single-stage treatment of arch and proximal descending aortic pathologies.
As an early career surgeon, you don’t want to be left on an island without the backing of your partners and department leaders., Robert M. Van Haren, MD, MsPH
Cardiothoracic surgeons from the US and Italy receive practice-changing funding support
CHICAGO (January 19, 2022)—Through a collaborative effort between The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS), two standout young surgeons recently each received $20,000 in fellowship grants to learn new techniques used by institutions across the world.
Longtime society efforts advance connecting clinical outcomes and claims data
WASHINGTON, DC (October 21, 2021) — The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) applaud Representatives Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN), and Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA), for introducing the Meaningful Access to Federal Health Plan Claims Data Act of 2021.
The 2021 C. Walton Lillehei Lecture was presented during The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 57th Annual Meeting by Paul G. Yock, MD, MA, founder and director of the Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign in California.
During the lecture, Dr. Yock encourage participants to view innovation as a discipline—one that can be taught, practiced, and recreated. He acknowledged, though, that comprehensive innovation can be difficult in the health care setting because it involves multiple stakeholders. He likened the “user” in this scenario to an “eight-headed monster.”
