The Aortic Forum

Event Information

Date/Duration

18-20 June 2025 (2.5 days)
Location

Prague, Czech Republic
See HERE for more information
Aortic Forum Taskforce Chair

R de Paulis, Rome
Local Chairmen

J Vojáček, Hradec Králove; I Netuka, Prague
Forum Format

In-person meeting
Interactive lectures
Live surgical cases
Keynote presentations
Live-in-a-box videos
Abstract presentations
Forum Fee

To be announced
Target Audience

All cardiac and vascular surgeons, cardiologists, radiologists and anaesthetists are invited to come together and broaden their competence and enjoy learning new skills in the field of major aortic surgery.
Abstract Submission

Abstract submissions will open in October 2024.
Please click HERE for more information.

EACTS Academy terms and conditions.

Forum overview

The comprehensive programme includes live surgery broadcasts with commentary from the most renowned experts in their respective field, interactive lectures and lively debates.

With a focus on the current controversies for the best treatment of each individual aortic pathology, sessions include a special focus on the latest advances in aortic valve repair and in the Ross operation. Pathology of the ascending aorta and arch, whether in its acute or chronic forms, will be presented and discussed according to the different treatment options by means of novel surgical, or transcatheter devices. The treatment of thoraco-abdominal pathologies will be focused on, the latest solution for transcatheter approach and novel possibilities of minimising the surgical trauma.

Aortic Forum Taskforce

R de Paulis; I Netuka; J Vojacek; J Bavaria; F Casselman; M Czerny; L de Kerchove; G El Khoury; T Holubec; P Myers; A Oo; D Pacini; S Ronchey; R Sádaba; HJ Schäfers; F Schoenhoff; M Shrestha

13:00	Introduction
13:15	Session 1: Aortic valve repair
	Critical comparison and limitation of VSRR
	What residual AR can we tolerate and when to reclamp?
	Essential technique and difficult lesions including videos:
	– Deep aortic root dissection for VSRR or Ross procedure
	– Repair of tricuspid aortic valve
	– Repair of asymmetric BAV
	– Repair of very asymmetric BAV
	– How to deal with cusp fenestrations
	Live surgery 1: VSRR – David procedure
15:30	Break
16:00	Session 2 – The Ross procedure
	Survival and the quality of life after Ross procedure: Do we have enough evidence?
	How to implement the Ross procedure into routine practice
	Harvesting and alternatives to pulmonary homograft in the Ross procedure
	Neonatal Ross procedure – strategies and outcomes
	Live-in-a-box videos: The Ross procedure: Different surgical options
	– How I do the Ross operation: Freestanding root
	– How I do the Ross operation: Inclusion into the Dacron graft
	– How I do the Ross operation: Inclusion into the PEARS
	Abstracts
17:30	Close

08:30	Session 3: Special situations in aortic root surgery – Video session
	Valve sparing aortic root replacement in acute aortic dissection
	Minimally invasive aortic valve-sparing and repair
	PEARS in aortic root surgery
	Aortic valve repair using internal geometric ring annuloplasty
	Aortic annulus/root enlargement
	VSRR in South America
	Abstract
	Live surgery 2: Ross procedure
10:40	Break
11:10	Session 4: Solving problems in aortic dissection
	Aortic dissection – my top 5 recommendations in the EACTS/STS 2023 guidelines and how they change practice
	How to cannulate for type A dissection with malperfusion
	Debate: Visceral malperfusion strategy
	– Endovascular repair first
	– Proximal open first
	– Discussion and rebuttal
	Abstracts
	Live surgery 3: Beating heart FET for chronic dissection
13:10	Lunch
14:10	Session 5: Controversies and solutions in acute type A dissection
	Root preservation, Bentall or VSRR – scoop and run or stay and play?
	Abstract
	Debate: Type A in the Arch: Too many devices, which option for which patient?
	– Do a FET and be done forever
	– AMDS – poor man’s total arch replacement?
	– Open zone 2 and TEVAR – best of both worlds?
	– Why do a sternotomy? Endovascular arch repair in type A (video)
	– Discussion and rebuttal
15:25	Break
15:55	Session 6: Dealing with the arch
	Debate: “Ideal temperature for the arch surgery” Normothermia vs deep hypothermia
	– Normothermia
	– Deep hypothermia with SACP
	– Discussion and rebuttal
	‘Branch first concepts’: Various techniques and outcomes
	Techniques to simplify the supra-aortic vessel anastomoses in total aortic arch surgery
	Abstracts
16:55	Close

08:30	Session 7: Arch session II
	Honorary lecture – Elephant trunk to frozen elephant trunk technique: Tribute to Hans Borst
	Sex differences in thoracic aortic disease (aneurysms and dissections)
	Aortic arch replacement in Asian populations
	Latest status in branched endovascular arch procedures (with video)
	Latest status in hybrid options for arch aneurysm (with video)
	Abstracts
	Live Surgery 4: Endovascular – Step by step arch replacement
10:45	Break
11:15	Session 8: Transcatheter aortic arch treatment – the exceptional portfolio of options
	The branched total arch approach
	The fenestrated total arch approach
	The physician modified endograft approach (PMEG)
	Single or duo endo arch repair
	Single branch endovascular arch: Multicentre trial
	Abstract
12:15	Lunch
13:15	Session 9: Transcatheter treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic pathology – from alternative to routine
	Neuroprotection and monitoring in complex thoracoabdominal endovascular repair
	fEVAR for complex TA pathology- what is there and how to choose among the options
	bEVAR for complex TA pathology- doing the right things in the right patients
	Graft degeneration research- the messages have to be heard
	Debate: Treatment of TAAA in HTAD patients
	– Open TAAA is more durable!
	– Endo TAAA is much safer!
	– Discussion and rebuttal
14:25	Break
14:55	Session 10: The unseen struggles: Aortic surgery failures exposed
	Open TAAA
	Open Arch
	Valve sparing
	Endo Arch
	Dissection
	Ross
15:55	Closing remarks and awards
16:15	Close

The Aortic Forum

Event Information

Forum overview

Aortic Forum Taskforce

Forum programme

Wednesday 18 June

Thursday 19 June

Friday 20 June

Programme subject to change.

Taskforce

Ruggero De Paulis

Ivan Netuka

Jan Vojacek

Joseph Bavaria

Filip Casselman

Martin Czerny

Laurent de Kerchove

Gebrine El Khoury

Tomas Holubec

Patrick Myers

Aung Oo

Davide Pacini

Sonia Ronchey

Rafael Sádaba

Hans-Joachim Schäfers

Florian Schönhoff

Malakh Shrestha