VEITHsymposium 2015

Serious pulmonary embolism calls for a rapid, coordinated, and highly multidisciplinary response to prevent fatalities and other severe outcomes, according to Dr. Michael Jaff of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Evolving therapeutic strategies and the “myriad” of physician specialists who help manage cases of serious PE make for a complex array of diagnostic and treatment options for this potentially lethal disorder, he added. On Tuesday morning, Dr. Jaff will moderate a comprehensive, interactive, two-part symposium on the diagnosis and treatment of PE in both adults and children.

Anticoagulation remains the focal point of PE treatment, but many patients with PE develop hypotension, hypoxemia, and serious cardiovascular abnormalities, noted Dr. Jaff. This clinical presentation is known as massive PE and makes the disorder the most common cause of mortality among hospitalized patients. The U.S. Surgeon General has estimated that PE is a contributing factor in as many as 100,000 to 180,000 deaths annually in the United States. Furthermore, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that one in every three PE patients dies within a month of symptom onset, while another third of cases recurs within 10 years.

To help prevent such consequences, “prompt recognition and diagnosis of PE is critical,” Dr. Jaff said. “Getting rapid input from multiple specialties will provide a full review of the available and appropriate therapeutic options, and will facilitate invasive therapy, if needed.”

Serious PE needs the input of physician specialists from the fields of cardiology, interventional cardiology, vascular medicine, vascular surgery, radiology, hematology, pulmonary medicine, and critical care, according to Dr. Jaff. The symposium will feature short presentations and case-based discussions led by these experts, who will update attendees on topics such as PE epidemiology, biomarkers, echocardiographic evaluation, state-of-the-art medical therapy, intravenous thrombolytic therapy, catheter-directed thrombolysis, and percutaneous pharmacomechanical interventions. Other talks will cover strategies for combining percutaneous thrombolysis and thromboaspiration, the use of Vortex strategy for massive PE, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and surgical thromboembolectomy in the management of this disorder.

Although these novel approaches can improve patient outcomes, few clinical trials have compared the various PE treatment modalities, Dr. Jaff noted. For example, the literature lacks trials comparing standard anticoagulation and full- and half-dose catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy; standard anticoagulation and percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy with thrombolytics; pharmacomechanical thrombolysis with and without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; and pharmacomechanical and surgical pulmonary embolectomy, Dr. Jaff said. Other future trials should explore the role of inferior vena cava filters in PE patients who are receiving lytics or pharmacomechanical thrombolysis, and should evaluate the optimal timing and dose of anticoagulants administered during and after interventions, he said.

The relative shortage of rigorous trial data heightens the importance of physician expertise and institutional resources for managing PE, according to several thought leaders. To help enhance outcomes and coordinate clinical resources, Massachusetts General Hospital and other institutions have created pulmonary embolism response teams (PERTs) made up of an array of medical and surgical specialists who have deep experience in evaluating and treating moderate-risk and high-risk PE patients.

Tuesday’s symposium will end with a discussion of the emergence of national PERT centers and the advantages of the team approach to PE management. “This session will provide insights into all aspects of PE management. I think the entire session is worth highlighting!” said Dr. Jaff.

Sessions 17 & 18: Management of Pulmonary Embolism: The Momentum for Effective Treatment is Real (Parts 1 and 2)

Tuesday, 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Trianon Ballroom, 3rd Floor

Serious pulmonary embolism calls for a rapid, coordinated, and highly multidisciplinary response to prevent fatalities and other severe outcomes, according to Dr. Michael Jaff of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Evolving therapeutic strategies and the “myriad” of physician specialists who help manage cases of serious PE make for a complex array of diagnostic and treatment options for this potentially lethal disorder, he added. On Tuesday morning, Dr. Jaff will moderate a comprehensive, interactive, two-part symposium on the diagnosis and treatment of PE in both adults and children.

Anticoagulation remains the focal point of PE treatment, but many patients with PE develop hypotension, hypoxemia, and serious cardiovascular abnormalities, noted Dr. Jaff. This clinical presentation is known as massive PE and makes the disorder the most common cause of mortality among hospitalized patients. The U.S. Surgeon General has estimated that PE is a contributing factor in as many as 100,000 to 180,000 deaths annually in the United States. Furthermore, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that one in every three PE patients dies within a month of symptom onset, while another third of cases recurs within 10 years.

To help prevent such consequences, “prompt recognition and diagnosis of PE is critical,” Dr. Jaff said. “Getting rapid input from multiple specialties will provide a full review of the available and appropriate therapeutic options, and will facilitate invasive therapy, if needed.”

Serious PE needs the input of physician specialists from the fields of cardiology, interventional cardiology, vascular medicine, vascular surgery, radiology, hematology, pulmonary medicine, and critical care, according to Dr. Jaff. The symposium will feature short presentations and case-based discussions led by these experts, who will update attendees on topics such as PE epidemiology, biomarkers, echocardiographic evaluation, state-of-the-art medical therapy, intravenous thrombolytic therapy, catheter-directed thrombolysis, and percutaneous pharmacomechanical interventions. Other talks will cover strategies for combining percutaneous thrombolysis and thromboaspiration, the use of Vortex strategy for massive PE, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and surgical thromboembolectomy in the management of this disorder.

Although these novel approaches can improve patient outcomes, few clinical trials have compared the various PE treatment modalities, Dr. Jaff noted. For example, the literature lacks trials comparing standard anticoagulation and full- and half-dose catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy; standard anticoagulation and percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy with thrombolytics; pharmacomechanical thrombolysis with and without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; and pharmacomechanical and surgical pulmonary embolectomy, Dr. Jaff said. Other future trials should explore the role of inferior vena cava filters in PE patients who are receiving lytics or pharmacomechanical thrombolysis, and should evaluate the optimal timing and dose of anticoagulants administered during and after interventions, he said.

The relative shortage of rigorous trial data heightens the importance of physician expertise and institutional resources for managing PE, according to several thought leaders. To help enhance outcomes and coordinate clinical resources, Massachusetts General Hospital and other institutions have created pulmonary embolism response teams (PERTs) made up of an array of medical and surgical specialists who have deep experience in evaluating and treating moderate-risk and high-risk PE patients.

Tuesday’s symposium will end with a discussion of the emergence of national PERT centers and the advantages of the team approach to PE management. “This session will provide insights into all aspects of PE management. I think the entire session is worth highlighting!” said Dr. Jaff.

Sessions 17 & 18: Management of Pulmonary Embolism: The Momentum for Effective Treatment is Real (Parts 1 and 2)

Tuesday, 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Trianon Ballroom, 3rd Floor

Serious pulmonary embolism calls for a rapid, coordinated, and highly multidisciplinary response to prevent fatalities and other severe outcomes, according to Dr. Michael Jaff of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Evolving therapeutic strategies and the “myriad” of physician specialists who help manage cases of serious PE make for a complex array of diagnostic and treatment options for this potentially lethal disorder, he added. On Tuesday morning, Dr. Jaff will moderate a comprehensive, interactive, two-part symposium on the diagnosis and treatment of PE in both adults and children.

Anticoagulation remains the focal point of PE treatment, but many patients with PE develop hypotension, hypoxemia, and serious cardiovascular abnormalities, noted Dr. Jaff. This clinical presentation is known as massive PE and makes the disorder the most common cause of mortality among hospitalized patients. The U.S. Surgeon General has estimated that PE is a contributing factor in as many as 100,000 to 180,000 deaths annually in the United States. Furthermore, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that one in every three PE patients dies within a month of symptom onset, while another third of cases recurs within 10 years.

To help prevent such consequences, “prompt recognition and diagnosis of PE is critical,” Dr. Jaff said. “Getting rapid input from multiple specialties will provide a full review of the available and appropriate therapeutic options, and will facilitate invasive therapy, if needed.”

Serious PE needs the input of physician specialists from the fields of cardiology, interventional cardiology, vascular medicine, vascular surgery, radiology, hematology, pulmonary medicine, and critical care, according to Dr. Jaff. The symposium will feature short presentations and case-based discussions led by these experts, who will update attendees on topics such as PE epidemiology, biomarkers, echocardiographic evaluation, state-of-the-art medical therapy, intravenous thrombolytic therapy, catheter-directed thrombolysis, and percutaneous pharmacomechanical interventions. Other talks will cover strategies for combining percutaneous thrombolysis and thromboaspiration, the use of Vortex strategy for massive PE, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and surgical thromboembolectomy in the management of this disorder.

Although these novel approaches can improve patient outcomes, few clinical trials have compared the various PE treatment modalities, Dr. Jaff noted. For example, the literature lacks trials comparing standard anticoagulation and full- and half-dose catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy; standard anticoagulation and percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy with thrombolytics; pharmacomechanical thrombolysis with and without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; and pharmacomechanical and surgical pulmonary embolectomy, Dr. Jaff said. Other future trials should explore the role of inferior vena cava filters in PE patients who are receiving lytics or pharmacomechanical thrombolysis, and should evaluate the optimal timing and dose of anticoagulants administered during and after interventions, he said.

The relative shortage of rigorous trial data heightens the importance of physician expertise and institutional resources for managing PE, according to several thought leaders. To help enhance outcomes and coordinate clinical resources, Massachusetts General Hospital and other institutions have created pulmonary embolism response teams (PERTs) made up of an array of medical and surgical specialists who have deep experience in evaluating and treating moderate-risk and high-risk PE patients.

Tuesday’s symposium will end with a discussion of the emergence of national PERT centers and the advantages of the team approach to PE management. “This session will provide insights into all aspects of PE management. I think the entire session is worth highlighting!” said Dr. Jaff.

Sessions 17 & 18: Management of Pulmonary Embolism: The Momentum for Effective Treatment is Real (Parts 1 and 2)

Tuesday, 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Trianon Ballroom, 3rd Floor

The aortic valve and the ascending aorta remain some of the most challenging spaces in vascular surgery, but every year brings new techniques, devices, and approaches.

On Tuesday morning, Dr. Lars Svensson of the Heart & Vascular Instituion at the Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. Nicholas Cheshire of Royal Brompton Hospital in London, will host a session devoted to capturing the cutting edge of this rapidly changing scene.

The session kicks off with Dr. Dietmar Koschyk of the University Hospital Hamburg (Germany) focusing on how well valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and mitral valve-in-valve endovascular repair are working.

“With aortic valve-in-valve re-implantations, what’s happening now is that patients, especially the younger patients are increasingly asking for biological valves for their first-time operation, with the idea that the next will be a valve-in-valve,” session moderator Dr. Svensson said. “You put in a tissue valve or aortic valve repair, always with the option that down the road these can be treated with a valve-in-valve stent.”

In the mitral valve space, “there were attempts to use various procedures to repair the mitral valve,” Dr. Svensson said, but the only ones to have really succeeded so far are mitral valve clips. Dr. Ted Feldman of Evanston Hospital, Northshore University HealthSystem, in Evanston, Ill., a pioneer in mitral valve clips, will look beyond them to bring surgeons up to date on technology and techniques.

“Coming down the line now are various new devices and procedures: artificial cords being put in through the left ventricle [and] various types of balloon spaces in the mitral valve in particular,” Dr. Svensson says. “The last I saw there were about 16 mitral valve replacement devices. So I think we’re going to find there will be a lot of options and it’s just a matter of finding out which work best.”

Dr. Feldman follows up with a broad update on TAVI, while Dr. Allan Stewart of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York brings in an interventional cardiologist’s perspective.

“Increasingly, cardiologists and cardiac surgeons are working in teams, and for TAVIs we’ve worked together from the beginning,” Dr. Svensson notes. “We can support each other and bring our own backgrounds to deliver a better product for the patient.”

The second half of the session confronts issues specific to the ascending aorta, with Dr. Ralf Kolvenbach of Catholic Clinics Düsseldorf (Germany), presenting a global overview; Dr. Ali Khoynezhad of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif., discussing endograft repair of ascending aortic lesions, and Dr. Carlos Donayre, of the University of California, Los Angeles, presenting on dissections.

Ascending stenting is challenging, but can be necessary for patients at higher risk, who cannot undergo standard surgery, or for those who have liver disease or cirrhosis and should not be placed on a heart lung machine, Dr. Svensson says.

“The tricky part is that you’ve got to deal with the coronary arteries,” he explains. “The sinotubular junction may be dilated, which may make it difficult to anchor an ascending stent graft proximally. Then you have to deal with the innominate artery coming off and you have to very accurately place an ascending stent graft.”

With acute dissections, which Dr. Kolvenbach will address in detail, “the challenge is to get the stent to completely obliterate the false lumen, not occlude the coronaries, and also preserve aortic valve function,” Dr. Svensson said. “So there is a place for it, and as we get new devices, I think things will get better over time.”

The session wraps with Dr. Grayson H. Wheatley III of Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, exploring access routes new and old, along with the latest in off-the-shelf devices.

“We’ve used transapical, transaortic, transcarotid, transsubclavian artery, [and] transfemoral venous [devices],” Dr. Svensson said. “We’ve also done some patients where we’ve gone transfemoral venous, crossed from the inferior vena cava into the infer-renal aorta and then gone up the aorta that way.” Some of these approaches are not yet standard practice, he said, but still reasonable strategies for the right patients at highly skilled and experienced centers.

Session 1: Progress in Transcatheter Heart Valves and New Approaches to Ascending Aortic Disease

Tuesday, 6:45 a.m. – 7:43 a.m.

Grand Ballroom East, 3rd Floor

The aortic valve and the ascending aorta remain some of the most challenging spaces in vascular surgery, but every year brings new techniques, devices, and approaches.

On Tuesday morning, Dr. Lars Svensson of the Heart & Vascular Instituion at the Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. Nicholas Cheshire of Royal Brompton Hospital in London, will host a session devoted to capturing the cutting edge of this rapidly changing scene.

The session kicks off with Dr. Dietmar Koschyk of the University Hospital Hamburg (Germany) focusing on how well valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and mitral valve-in-valve endovascular repair are working.

“With aortic valve-in-valve re-implantations, what’s happening now is that patients, especially the younger patients are increasingly asking for biological valves for their first-time operation, with the idea that the next will be a valve-in-valve,” session moderator Dr. Svensson said. “You put in a tissue valve or aortic valve repair, always with the option that down the road these can be treated with a valve-in-valve stent.”

In the mitral valve space, “there were attempts to use various procedures to repair the mitral valve,” Dr. Svensson said, but the only ones to have really succeeded so far are mitral valve clips. Dr. Ted Feldman of Evanston Hospital, Northshore University HealthSystem, in Evanston, Ill., a pioneer in mitral valve clips, will look beyond them to bring surgeons up to date on technology and techniques.

“Coming down the line now are various new devices and procedures: artificial cords being put in through the left ventricle [and] various types of balloon spaces in the mitral valve in particular,” Dr. Svensson says. “The last I saw there were about 16 mitral valve replacement devices. So I think we’re going to find there will be a lot of options and it’s just a matter of finding out which work best.”

Dr. Feldman follows up with a broad update on TAVI, while Dr. Allan Stewart of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York brings in an interventional cardiologist’s perspective.

“Increasingly, cardiologists and cardiac surgeons are working in teams, and for TAVIs we’ve worked together from the beginning,” Dr. Svensson notes. “We can support each other and bring our own backgrounds to deliver a better product for the patient.”

The second half of the session confronts issues specific to the ascending aorta, with Dr. Ralf Kolvenbach of Catholic Clinics Düsseldorf (Germany), presenting a global overview; Dr. Ali Khoynezhad of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif., discussing endograft repair of ascending aortic lesions, and Dr. Carlos Donayre, of the University of California, Los Angeles, presenting on dissections.

Ascending stenting is challenging, but can be necessary for patients at higher risk, who cannot undergo standard surgery, or for those who have liver disease or cirrhosis and should not be placed on a heart lung machine, Dr. Svensson says.

“The tricky part is that you’ve got to deal with the coronary arteries,” he explains. “The sinotubular junction may be dilated, which may make it difficult to anchor an ascending stent graft proximally. Then you have to deal with the innominate artery coming off and you have to very accurately place an ascending stent graft.”

With acute dissections, which Dr. Kolvenbach will address in detail, “the challenge is to get the stent to completely obliterate the false lumen, not occlude the coronaries, and also preserve aortic valve function,” Dr. Svensson said. “So there is a place for it, and as we get new devices, I think things will get better over time.”

The session wraps with Dr. Grayson H. Wheatley III of Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, exploring access routes new and old, along with the latest in off-the-shelf devices.

“We’ve used transapical, transaortic, transcarotid, transsubclavian artery, [and] transfemoral venous [devices],” Dr. Svensson said. “We’ve also done some patients where we’ve gone transfemoral venous, crossed from the inferior vena cava into the infer-renal aorta and then gone up the aorta that way.” Some of these approaches are not yet standard practice, he said, but still reasonable strategies for the right patients at highly skilled and experienced centers.

Session 1: Progress in Transcatheter Heart Valves and New Approaches to Ascending Aortic Disease

Tuesday, 6:45 a.m. – 7:43 a.m.

Grand Ballroom East, 3rd Floor

The aortic valve and the ascending aorta remain some of the most challenging spaces in vascular surgery, but every year brings new techniques, devices, and approaches.

On Tuesday morning, Dr. Lars Svensson of the Heart & Vascular Instituion at the Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. Nicholas Cheshire of Royal Brompton Hospital in London, will host a session devoted to capturing the cutting edge of this rapidly changing scene.

The session kicks off with Dr. Dietmar Koschyk of the University Hospital Hamburg (Germany) focusing on how well valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and mitral valve-in-valve endovascular repair are working.

“With aortic valve-in-valve re-implantations, what’s happening now is that patients, especially the younger patients are increasingly asking for biological valves for their first-time operation, with the idea that the next will be a valve-in-valve,” session moderator Dr. Svensson said. “You put in a tissue valve or aortic valve repair, always with the option that down the road these can be treated with a valve-in-valve stent.”

In the mitral valve space, “there were attempts to use various procedures to repair the mitral valve,” Dr. Svensson said, but the only ones to have really succeeded so far are mitral valve clips. Dr. Ted Feldman of Evanston Hospital, Northshore University HealthSystem, in Evanston, Ill., a pioneer in mitral valve clips, will look beyond them to bring surgeons up to date on technology and techniques.

“Coming down the line now are various new devices and procedures: artificial cords being put in through the left ventricle [and] various types of balloon spaces in the mitral valve in particular,” Dr. Svensson says. “The last I saw there were about 16 mitral valve replacement devices. So I think we’re going to find there will be a lot of options and it’s just a matter of finding out which work best.”

Dr. Feldman follows up with a broad update on TAVI, while Dr. Allan Stewart of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York brings in an interventional cardiologist’s perspective.

“Increasingly, cardiologists and cardiac surgeons are working in teams, and for TAVIs we’ve worked together from the beginning,” Dr. Svensson notes. “We can support each other and bring our own backgrounds to deliver a better product for the patient.”

The second half of the session confronts issues specific to the ascending aorta, with Dr. Ralf Kolvenbach of Catholic Clinics Düsseldorf (Germany), presenting a global overview; Dr. Ali Khoynezhad of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif., discussing endograft repair of ascending aortic lesions, and Dr. Carlos Donayre, of the University of California, Los Angeles, presenting on dissections.

Ascending stenting is challenging, but can be necessary for patients at higher risk, who cannot undergo standard surgery, or for those who have liver disease or cirrhosis and should not be placed on a heart lung machine, Dr. Svensson says.

“The tricky part is that you’ve got to deal with the coronary arteries,” he explains. “The sinotubular junction may be dilated, which may make it difficult to anchor an ascending stent graft proximally. Then you have to deal with the innominate artery coming off and you have to very accurately place an ascending stent graft.”

With acute dissections, which Dr. Kolvenbach will address in detail, “the challenge is to get the stent to completely obliterate the false lumen, not occlude the coronaries, and also preserve aortic valve function,” Dr. Svensson said. “So there is a place for it, and as we get new devices, I think things will get better over time.”

The session wraps with Dr. Grayson H. Wheatley III of Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, exploring access routes new and old, along with the latest in off-the-shelf devices.

“We’ve used transapical, transaortic, transcarotid, transsubclavian artery, [and] transfemoral venous [devices],” Dr. Svensson said. “We’ve also done some patients where we’ve gone transfemoral venous, crossed from the inferior vena cava into the infer-renal aorta and then gone up the aorta that way.” Some of these approaches are not yet standard practice, he said, but still reasonable strategies for the right patients at highly skilled and experienced centers.

Session 1: Progress in Transcatheter Heart Valves and New Approaches to Ascending Aortic Disease

Tuesday, 6:45 a.m. – 7:43 a.m.

Grand Ballroom East, 3rd Floor

Welcome to the 42nd annual Vascular & Endovascular, Issues, Techniques, and Horizons Symposium (VEITHsymposium). This year’s program promises to be one of the best, most comprehensive, and most thought-provoking of any of our meetings. This year we celebrate our 42nd anniversary and have introduced several improvements.

Nearly 600 international clinician/educators have gathered to provide attendees with the latest topics, advances, and data that span the breadth of vascular diseases, diagnostic procedures, medical treatments, interventional procedures and open surgical advances for treating vascular disease that are of importance to the global vascular community. As is the hallmark of the VEITHsymposium, the 5-day program will run from dawn to dusk daily and will be fully captured in our online library.

With more than 1000 rapid-fire, 5-6-minute presentations delivered in over 120 sessions, symposium faculty will cover the full range of topics pertinent to clinical practice and research, including the latest pharmacologic, radiologic, surgical, and endovascular techniques. They will discuss when the various treatment options are justified and, importantly, when they are not.

Top vascular experts from around the world will provide updates on the latest clinical trials and offer insight into the real-life application of the most recent data in order to close the gap between the current state of knowledge and actual clinical practice.

Controversial issues will be approached from multiple perspectives to ensure a balanced, unbiased exposure of topics and to provide audience members with all of the information they need to make informed choices in their own practices.

This year our meeting has an increased emphasis on venous disease. Three full days of the meeting are devoted to exciting new developments in venous disease of all sorts and active endovascular treatments in this rapidly expanding area of opportunity.

Some of the program’s other hot topics will be the continuing controversies surrounding parallel grafts (chimneys, and snorkel and sandwich grafts) and multilayer open stents versus fenestrated and branched endografts; carotid stenting; new developments in the treatment of aortic dissections; a day devoted to the management of arteriovenous malformations; new developments in the endovascular treatment of lower-extremity ischemia, particularly below the knee; the latest developments in EVAR and TEVAR including experiences with a plethora of new endovascular grafts and devices that have appeared on the scene in the last year; and improvements in the medical treatment of vascular disease and vascular patients undergoing surgery and other interventions. Important issues to vascular specialists and outpatient vascular treatment will also be highlighted.

In line with our belief that the treatment of venous disease is an important new horizon for vascular specialists and vascular surgeons, this year’s program will include a special session all-day Tuesday, focused in the morning on management options for pulmonary embolism: “Management of Pulmonary Embolism: The Momentum For Effective Treatment Is Real – Part 1,” led by Dr. Michael R. Jaff; and “Management of Pulmonary Embolism: The Momentum For Effective Treatment Is Real – Part 2,” led by Dr. Kenneth Ouriel.

This year, there will also be sessions devoted to crucial issues for vascular specialists including changing relationships with government and the FDA and how to survive under new reimbursement rules and regulations including Obamacare. Our physician/educators will also offer a glimpse into some new techniques and technologies that have been available in Europe, but are just being approved in the United States, such as drug-eluting balloons and stents.

Attendees will notice some other exciting changes to this year’s program. We have included breaks in the schedule to encourage exploration of state-of-the-art technology, products, and services available in the Exhibit areas and Pavilions. The Exhibit Halls are crowded with displays and booths of particular interest to vascular surgeons. The Pavilions and Exhibits also offer attendees the chance to meet faculty and to network with other attendees and industry partners. This is the place to learn about exciting new technologies and developments in our field.

In addition, there will be Associate Faculty programs which will give younger and less well-known vascular specialists the opportunity to present their work at the podium.

Again this year, an online library will be available for a minimal fee of $75 for meeting attendees and will include access to talks, slides, videos, and panels from the meeting.

This year we will also feature more concurrent sessions. Although we will make every effort to ensure that these sessions do not deal with similar areas at the same time, two topics will sometimes be presented simultaneously. If this occurs, attendees should note in their program the talk they wished to hear but could not.

Within 14 days of the conclusion of the meeting, these missed talks and others can be revisited in the online library. Slides and audio – fully synchronized with the program and indexed by presenter, topic, or session – will be included in that library.

Welcome to the 42nd annual Vascular & Endovascular, Issues, Techniques, and Horizons Symposium (VEITHsymposium). This year’s program promises to be one of the best, most comprehensive, and most thought-provoking of any of our meetings. This year we celebrate our 42nd anniversary and have introduced several improvements.

Nearly 600 international clinician/educators have gathered to provide attendees with the latest topics, advances, and data that span the breadth of vascular diseases, diagnostic procedures, medical treatments, interventional procedures and open surgical advances for treating vascular disease that are of importance to the global vascular community. As is the hallmark of the VEITHsymposium, the 5-day program will run from dawn to dusk daily and will be fully captured in our online library.

With more than 1000 rapid-fire, 5-6-minute presentations delivered in over 120 sessions, symposium faculty will cover the full range of topics pertinent to clinical practice and research, including the latest pharmacologic, radiologic, surgical, and endovascular techniques. They will discuss when the various treatment options are justified and, importantly, when they are not.

Top vascular experts from around the world will provide updates on the latest clinical trials and offer insight into the real-life application of the most recent data in order to close the gap between the current state of knowledge and actual clinical practice.

Controversial issues will be approached from multiple perspectives to ensure a balanced, unbiased exposure of topics and to provide audience members with all of the information they need to make informed choices in their own practices.

This year our meeting has an increased emphasis on venous disease. Three full days of the meeting are devoted to exciting new developments in venous disease of all sorts and active endovascular treatments in this rapidly expanding area of opportunity.

Some of the program’s other hot topics will be the continuing controversies surrounding parallel grafts (chimneys, and snorkel and sandwich grafts) and multilayer open stents versus fenestrated and branched endografts; carotid stenting; new developments in the treatment of aortic dissections; a day devoted to the management of arteriovenous malformations; new developments in the endovascular treatment of lower-extremity ischemia, particularly below the knee; the latest developments in EVAR and TEVAR including experiences with a plethora of new endovascular grafts and devices that have appeared on the scene in the last year; and improvements in the medical treatment of vascular disease and vascular patients undergoing surgery and other interventions. Important issues to vascular specialists and outpatient vascular treatment will also be highlighted.

In line with our belief that the treatment of venous disease is an important new horizon for vascular specialists and vascular surgeons, this year’s program will include a special session all-day Tuesday, focused in the morning on management options for pulmonary embolism: “Management of Pulmonary Embolism: The Momentum For Effective Treatment Is Real – Part 1,” led by Dr. Michael R. Jaff; and “Management of Pulmonary Embolism: The Momentum For Effective Treatment Is Real – Part 2,” led by Dr. Kenneth Ouriel.

This year, there will also be sessions devoted to crucial issues for vascular specialists including changing relationships with government and the FDA and how to survive under new reimbursement rules and regulations including Obamacare. Our physician/educators will also offer a glimpse into some new techniques and technologies that have been available in Europe, but are just being approved in the United States, such as drug-eluting balloons and stents.

Attendees will notice some other exciting changes to this year’s program. We have included breaks in the schedule to encourage exploration of state-of-the-art technology, products, and services available in the Exhibit areas and Pavilions. The Exhibit Halls are crowded with displays and booths of particular interest to vascular surgeons. The Pavilions and Exhibits also offer attendees the chance to meet faculty and to network with other attendees and industry partners. This is the place to learn about exciting new technologies and developments in our field.

In addition, there will be Associate Faculty programs which will give younger and less well-known vascular specialists the opportunity to present their work at the podium.

Again this year, an online library will be available for a minimal fee of $75 for meeting attendees and will include access to talks, slides, videos, and panels from the meeting.

This year we will also feature more concurrent sessions. Although we will make every effort to ensure that these sessions do not deal with similar areas at the same time, two topics will sometimes be presented simultaneously. If this occurs, attendees should note in their program the talk they wished to hear but could not.

Within 14 days of the conclusion of the meeting, these missed talks and others can be revisited in the online library. Slides and audio – fully synchronized with the program and indexed by presenter, topic, or session – will be included in that library.

Welcome to the 42nd annual Vascular & Endovascular, Issues, Techniques, and Horizons Symposium (VEITHsymposium). This year’s program promises to be one of the best, most comprehensive, and most thought-provoking of any of our meetings. This year we celebrate our 42nd anniversary and have introduced several improvements.

Nearly 600 international clinician/educators have gathered to provide attendees with the latest topics, advances, and data that span the breadth of vascular diseases, diagnostic procedures, medical treatments, interventional procedures and open surgical advances for treating vascular disease that are of importance to the global vascular community. As is the hallmark of the VEITHsymposium, the 5-day program will run from dawn to dusk daily and will be fully captured in our online library.

With more than 1000 rapid-fire, 5-6-minute presentations delivered in over 120 sessions, symposium faculty will cover the full range of topics pertinent to clinical practice and research, including the latest pharmacologic, radiologic, surgical, and endovascular techniques. They will discuss when the various treatment options are justified and, importantly, when they are not.

Top vascular experts from around the world will provide updates on the latest clinical trials and offer insight into the real-life application of the most recent data in order to close the gap between the current state of knowledge and actual clinical practice.

Controversial issues will be approached from multiple perspectives to ensure a balanced, unbiased exposure of topics and to provide audience members with all of the information they need to make informed choices in their own practices.

This year our meeting has an increased emphasis on venous disease. Three full days of the meeting are devoted to exciting new developments in venous disease of all sorts and active endovascular treatments in this rapidly expanding area of opportunity.

Some of the program’s other hot topics will be the continuing controversies surrounding parallel grafts (chimneys, and snorkel and sandwich grafts) and multilayer open stents versus fenestrated and branched endografts; carotid stenting; new developments in the treatment of aortic dissections; a day devoted to the management of arteriovenous malformations; new developments in the endovascular treatment of lower-extremity ischemia, particularly below the knee; the latest developments in EVAR and TEVAR including experiences with a plethora of new endovascular grafts and devices that have appeared on the scene in the last year; and improvements in the medical treatment of vascular disease and vascular patients undergoing surgery and other interventions. Important issues to vascular specialists and outpatient vascular treatment will also be highlighted.

In line with our belief that the treatment of venous disease is an important new horizon for vascular specialists and vascular surgeons, this year’s program will include a special session all-day Tuesday, focused in the morning on management options for pulmonary embolism: “Management of Pulmonary Embolism: The Momentum For Effective Treatment Is Real – Part 1,” led by Dr. Michael R. Jaff; and “Management of Pulmonary Embolism: The Momentum For Effective Treatment Is Real – Part 2,” led by Dr. Kenneth Ouriel.

This year, there will also be sessions devoted to crucial issues for vascular specialists including changing relationships with government and the FDA and how to survive under new reimbursement rules and regulations including Obamacare. Our physician/educators will also offer a glimpse into some new techniques and technologies that have been available in Europe, but are just being approved in the United States, such as drug-eluting balloons and stents.

Attendees will notice some other exciting changes to this year’s program. We have included breaks in the schedule to encourage exploration of state-of-the-art technology, products, and services available in the Exhibit areas and Pavilions. The Exhibit Halls are crowded with displays and booths of particular interest to vascular surgeons. The Pavilions and Exhibits also offer attendees the chance to meet faculty and to network with other attendees and industry partners. This is the place to learn about exciting new technologies and developments in our field.

In addition, there will be Associate Faculty programs which will give younger and less well-known vascular specialists the opportunity to present their work at the podium.

Again this year, an online library will be available for a minimal fee of $75 for meeting attendees and will include access to talks, slides, videos, and panels from the meeting.

This year we will also feature more concurrent sessions. Although we will make every effort to ensure that these sessions do not deal with similar areas at the same time, two topics will sometimes be presented simultaneously. If this occurs, attendees should note in their program the talk they wished to hear but could not.

Within 14 days of the conclusion of the meeting, these missed talks and others can be revisited in the online library. Slides and audio – fully synchronized with the program and indexed by presenter, topic, or session – will be included in that library.