News from the SVS

The 2016 SVS Foundation Annual Appeal is underway, with donations sought to fund the research that leads to breakthroughs that ultimately will improve patient care.

Dr. Bruce Perler, SVS Foundation chair, has written a letter that reminds all members that contributions to the SVS Foundation - which funds basic and clinical research grants - are vital to the continuation of innovation that has always been and remains integral to our specialty.

Donations to the SVS Foundation - which funds basic and clinical research grants - are an opportunity for all members to make a significant difference in not only the future of SVS but also that of vascular disease patients.

The 2016 SVS Foundation Annual Appeal is underway, with donations sought to fund the research that leads to breakthroughs that ultimately will improve patient care.

Dr. Bruce Perler, SVS Foundation chair, has written a letter that reminds all members that contributions to the SVS Foundation - which funds basic and clinical research grants - are vital to the continuation of innovation that has always been and remains integral to our specialty.

Donations to the SVS Foundation - which funds basic and clinical research grants - are an opportunity for all members to make a significant difference in not only the future of SVS but also that of vascular disease patients.

The 2016 SVS Foundation Annual Appeal is underway, with donations sought to fund the research that leads to breakthroughs that ultimately will improve patient care.

Dr. Bruce Perler, SVS Foundation chair, has written a letter that reminds all members that contributions to the SVS Foundation - which funds basic and clinical research grants - are vital to the continuation of innovation that has always been and remains integral to our specialty.

Donations to the SVS Foundation - which funds basic and clinical research grants - are an opportunity for all members to make a significant difference in not only the future of SVS but also that of vascular disease patients.

A surveillance project to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) in comparison with carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is being launched by the Society for Vascular Surgery Patient Safety Organization (SVS PSO).  Carotid artery stenting (CAS) and CEA are performed in patients with atherosclerotic narrowing of the carotid artery in order to reduce stroke risk.  

In the TCAR procedure, a stent is inserted into the common carotid artery through a small neck incision (transcarotid), whereas typical carotid stents are inserted with a long catheter inserted in a groin artery (transfemoral) that must pass through the aorta to reach the carotid artery which is a potential source of stroke with the trans-femoral approach.   During TCAR, stroke risk is also reduced by temporarily reversing blood flow direction in the carotid artery, so that any debris dislodged by the procedure will not travel to the brain where it could cause stroke.  Initial publications suggest that TCAR may have a lower stroke rate than standard transfemoral CAS, potentially due to avoidance of a catheter manipulation in the aorta combined with carotid artery flow reversal.

The TCAR Surveillance Project is designed to obtain more data about real-world outcomes of TCAR in comparison with CEA as performed by centers participating in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI). The TCAR Surveillance Project will be directed by an SVS PSO Steering Committee that will make periodic analyses of data collected in the VQI CAS and CEA Registries.  

The TCAR Surveillance Project was evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and found scientifically valid and clinically relevant.  Based on this, reimbursement for TCAR procedures performed by centers participating in the VQI TCAR Surveillance Project was approved on Sept. 1, 2016, by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under the current National Coverage Determination.

The project requires that the procedure be performed in high surgical risk patients (asymptomatic or symptomatic) using FDA-approved or FDA-cleared devices labeled for the transcarotid approach and that data about the procedure and one-year follow-up be submitted to the VQI CAS Registry in order to qualify for Medicare coverage.  

“We are very pleased about this collaboration between the SVS PSO, CMS and the FDA that has enabled this important study,” said Dr. Larry Kraiss, Chair of the PSO Governing Council.  “It is through initiatives like the TCAR Surveillance Project that we can accomplish the SVS PSO mission, by using real-world registry data to evaluate and improve the care of our patients with carotid artery disease.”

Sites interested in participating in the project can enroll in the VQI CAS Registry if they do not already participate and obtain the National Clinical Trial identifier required for billing.

“The SVS applauds the efforts of its PSO to continually explore new and innovative ways to improve patient care,” said Dr. R. Clement Darling, President-Elect of the Society for Vascular Surgery.  “We are excited to learn what this study will find, and encourage participation in the TCAR Surveillance Project.”

For further information about participating in the VQI CAS registry, please contact [email protected] or call (603) 298-5509.

A surveillance project to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) in comparison with carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is being launched by the Society for Vascular Surgery Patient Safety Organization (SVS PSO).  Carotid artery stenting (CAS) and CEA are performed in patients with atherosclerotic narrowing of the carotid artery in order to reduce stroke risk.  

In the TCAR procedure, a stent is inserted into the common carotid artery through a small neck incision (transcarotid), whereas typical carotid stents are inserted with a long catheter inserted in a groin artery (transfemoral) that must pass through the aorta to reach the carotid artery which is a potential source of stroke with the trans-femoral approach.   During TCAR, stroke risk is also reduced by temporarily reversing blood flow direction in the carotid artery, so that any debris dislodged by the procedure will not travel to the brain where it could cause stroke.  Initial publications suggest that TCAR may have a lower stroke rate than standard transfemoral CAS, potentially due to avoidance of a catheter manipulation in the aorta combined with carotid artery flow reversal.

The TCAR Surveillance Project is designed to obtain more data about real-world outcomes of TCAR in comparison with CEA as performed by centers participating in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI). The TCAR Surveillance Project will be directed by an SVS PSO Steering Committee that will make periodic analyses of data collected in the VQI CAS and CEA Registries.  

The TCAR Surveillance Project was evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and found scientifically valid and clinically relevant.  Based on this, reimbursement for TCAR procedures performed by centers participating in the VQI TCAR Surveillance Project was approved on Sept. 1, 2016, by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under the current National Coverage Determination.

The project requires that the procedure be performed in high surgical risk patients (asymptomatic or symptomatic) using FDA-approved or FDA-cleared devices labeled for the transcarotid approach and that data about the procedure and one-year follow-up be submitted to the VQI CAS Registry in order to qualify for Medicare coverage.  

“We are very pleased about this collaboration between the SVS PSO, CMS and the FDA that has enabled this important study,” said Dr. Larry Kraiss, Chair of the PSO Governing Council.  “It is through initiatives like the TCAR Surveillance Project that we can accomplish the SVS PSO mission, by using real-world registry data to evaluate and improve the care of our patients with carotid artery disease.”

Sites interested in participating in the project can enroll in the VQI CAS Registry if they do not already participate and obtain the National Clinical Trial identifier required for billing.

“The SVS applauds the efforts of its PSO to continually explore new and innovative ways to improve patient care,” said Dr. R. Clement Darling, President-Elect of the Society for Vascular Surgery.  “We are excited to learn what this study will find, and encourage participation in the TCAR Surveillance Project.”

For further information about participating in the VQI CAS registry, please contact [email protected] or call (603) 298-5509.

A surveillance project to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) in comparison with carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is being launched by the Society for Vascular Surgery Patient Safety Organization (SVS PSO).  Carotid artery stenting (CAS) and CEA are performed in patients with atherosclerotic narrowing of the carotid artery in order to reduce stroke risk.  

In the TCAR procedure, a stent is inserted into the common carotid artery through a small neck incision (transcarotid), whereas typical carotid stents are inserted with a long catheter inserted in a groin artery (transfemoral) that must pass through the aorta to reach the carotid artery which is a potential source of stroke with the trans-femoral approach.   During TCAR, stroke risk is also reduced by temporarily reversing blood flow direction in the carotid artery, so that any debris dislodged by the procedure will not travel to the brain where it could cause stroke.  Initial publications suggest that TCAR may have a lower stroke rate than standard transfemoral CAS, potentially due to avoidance of a catheter manipulation in the aorta combined with carotid artery flow reversal.

The TCAR Surveillance Project is designed to obtain more data about real-world outcomes of TCAR in comparison with CEA as performed by centers participating in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI). The TCAR Surveillance Project will be directed by an SVS PSO Steering Committee that will make periodic analyses of data collected in the VQI CAS and CEA Registries.  

The TCAR Surveillance Project was evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and found scientifically valid and clinically relevant.  Based on this, reimbursement for TCAR procedures performed by centers participating in the VQI TCAR Surveillance Project was approved on Sept. 1, 2016, by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under the current National Coverage Determination.

The project requires that the procedure be performed in high surgical risk patients (asymptomatic or symptomatic) using FDA-approved or FDA-cleared devices labeled for the transcarotid approach and that data about the procedure and one-year follow-up be submitted to the VQI CAS Registry in order to qualify for Medicare coverage.  

“We are very pleased about this collaboration between the SVS PSO, CMS and the FDA that has enabled this important study,” said Dr. Larry Kraiss, Chair of the PSO Governing Council.  “It is through initiatives like the TCAR Surveillance Project that we can accomplish the SVS PSO mission, by using real-world registry data to evaluate and improve the care of our patients with carotid artery disease.”

Sites interested in participating in the project can enroll in the VQI CAS Registry if they do not already participate and obtain the National Clinical Trial identifier required for billing.

“The SVS applauds the efforts of its PSO to continually explore new and innovative ways to improve patient care,” said Dr. R. Clement Darling, President-Elect of the Society for Vascular Surgery.  “We are excited to learn what this study will find, and encourage participation in the TCAR Surveillance Project.”

For further information about participating in the VQI CAS registry, please contact [email protected] or call (603) 298-5509.

SVS member Dr. Spence M. Taylor has been elected vice chair of the American Board of Surgery for 2017-18. He will serve as chair in 2018-19. Dr. Taylor joined the ABS as a director in 2011, representing the Southern Surgical Association.

He is a member of the ABS Vascular Surgery Board and Credentials Committee.

For more information, read the ABS summer newsletter.

SVS member Dr. Spence M. Taylor has been elected vice chair of the American Board of Surgery for 2017-18. He will serve as chair in 2018-19. Dr. Taylor joined the ABS as a director in 2011, representing the Southern Surgical Association.

He is a member of the ABS Vascular Surgery Board and Credentials Committee.

For more information, read the ABS summer newsletter.

SVS member Dr. Spence M. Taylor has been elected vice chair of the American Board of Surgery for 2017-18. He will serve as chair in 2018-19. Dr. Taylor joined the ABS as a director in 2011, representing the Southern Surgical Association.

He is a member of the ABS Vascular Surgery Board and Credentials Committee.

For more information, read the ABS summer newsletter.

All SVS members may submit proposals for invited sessions for the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting, set for May 31 to June 3 (plenaries and exhibits are June 1 to 3) in San Diego, Calif.

Previously, the process was open only to SVS committees; planners opened the process to all members this year, with any and all ideas for sessions to be reviewed for further development.

Invited sessions include postgraduate courses, breakfast and concurrent sessions and workshops. Initial submissions are due Sept. 16.

Learn more here.

All SVS members may submit proposals for invited sessions for the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting, set for May 31 to June 3 (plenaries and exhibits are June 1 to 3) in San Diego, Calif.

Previously, the process was open only to SVS committees; planners opened the process to all members this year, with any and all ideas for sessions to be reviewed for further development.

Invited sessions include postgraduate courses, breakfast and concurrent sessions and workshops. Initial submissions are due Sept. 16.

Learn more here.

All SVS members may submit proposals for invited sessions for the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting, set for May 31 to June 3 (plenaries and exhibits are June 1 to 3) in San Diego, Calif.

Previously, the process was open only to SVS committees; planners opened the process to all members this year, with any and all ideas for sessions to be reviewed for further development.

Invited sessions include postgraduate courses, breakfast and concurrent sessions and workshops. Initial submissions are due Sept. 16.

Learn more here.

Just in time for the September recertification exam! Recordings of the 2015 Comprehensive Vascular Review Course are available for purchase. The 2015 intensive two-day course was led by vascular surgeons with extensive expertise in their respective fields.

The recordings include didactic lectures and review of essential VESAP questions. The recordings also provide a comprehensive update in all areas of vascular surgery.

No CME credit is available.

Purchase the recordings here.

Just in time for the September recertification exam! Recordings of the 2015 Comprehensive Vascular Review Course are available for purchase. The 2015 intensive two-day course was led by vascular surgeons with extensive expertise in their respective fields.

The recordings include didactic lectures and review of essential VESAP questions. The recordings also provide a comprehensive update in all areas of vascular surgery.

No CME credit is available.

Purchase the recordings here.

Just in time for the September recertification exam! Recordings of the 2015 Comprehensive Vascular Review Course are available for purchase. The 2015 intensive two-day course was led by vascular surgeons with extensive expertise in their respective fields.

The recordings include didactic lectures and review of essential VESAP questions. The recordings also provide a comprehensive update in all areas of vascular surgery.

No CME credit is available.

Purchase the recordings here.

SVS members who are researchers and clinicians have an opportunity to win $5,000 for study hypotheses in cardiovascular research.

The American Heart Association and PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) have announced a ‘crowdsourcing’ challenge, asking researchers and clinicians to suggest research questions that address difficult challenges identified by patients with cardiovascular diseases. Proposals should focus on questions that can be answered through comparative clinical effectiveness research with a precision medicine approach.

Submissions are due by Oct. 6. Four winners will each receive a $5,000 cash prize.

SVS members who are researchers and clinicians have an opportunity to win $5,000 for study hypotheses in cardiovascular research.

The American Heart Association and PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) have announced a ‘crowdsourcing’ challenge, asking researchers and clinicians to suggest research questions that address difficult challenges identified by patients with cardiovascular diseases. Proposals should focus on questions that can be answered through comparative clinical effectiveness research with a precision medicine approach.

Submissions are due by Oct. 6. Four winners will each receive a $5,000 cash prize.

SVS members who are researchers and clinicians have an opportunity to win $5,000 for study hypotheses in cardiovascular research.

The American Heart Association and PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) have announced a ‘crowdsourcing’ challenge, asking researchers and clinicians to suggest research questions that address difficult challenges identified by patients with cardiovascular diseases. Proposals should focus on questions that can be answered through comparative clinical effectiveness research with a precision medicine approach.

Submissions are due by Oct. 6. Four winners will each receive a $5,000 cash prize.

The editors of the Journal of Vascular Surgery Publications are seeking nominations, including self-nominations, for multiple editorial positions. All applicants must be active or senior members of the Society for Vascular Surgery. Prior service on the JVS editorial board is preferred. An annual financial stipend is provided for these editorial roles.

More information about each of the positions listed below can be found in this online document.

Assistant editor of abstracts and book reviews. This editor selects non-JVS abstracts and writes short commentaries for those abstracts for publication in the JVS and JVS-VL. This editor will also write and solicit book reviews.

Assistant editor of social media and press releases. This position requires writing short press release articles for the JVS Journals and drafting Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn posts to promote JVS content.

Assistant editor of reviews for the Journal of Vascular Surgery. The assistant editor solicits review articles and manages the peer-review process for systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and evidence summaries.

Associate basic science editor for the JVS and the JVSVL. This associate editor manages the peer-review process and makes the final decision on manuscript publication for about 200 basic science submissions a year.

Associate editor of the Journal of Vascular Surgery. The JVS associate editor manages the peer-review process of about 600 submissions a year, recommending a final decision to the editors regarding the publication of a submission.

If you would like to apply for one of these editorial positions, please send your name and a brief summary of your qualifications Jessica McEwan, JVS managing editor at: [email protected]. The deadline for applications is Oct. 1, 2016.

The editors of the Journal of Vascular Surgery Publications are seeking nominations, including self-nominations, for multiple editorial positions. All applicants must be active or senior members of the Society for Vascular Surgery. Prior service on the JVS editorial board is preferred. An annual financial stipend is provided for these editorial roles.

More information about each of the positions listed below can be found in this online document.

Assistant editor of abstracts and book reviews. This editor selects non-JVS abstracts and writes short commentaries for those abstracts for publication in the JVS and JVS-VL. This editor will also write and solicit book reviews.

Assistant editor of social media and press releases. This position requires writing short press release articles for the JVS Journals and drafting Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn posts to promote JVS content.

Assistant editor of reviews for the Journal of Vascular Surgery. The assistant editor solicits review articles and manages the peer-review process for systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and evidence summaries.

Associate basic science editor for the JVS and the JVSVL. This associate editor manages the peer-review process and makes the final decision on manuscript publication for about 200 basic science submissions a year.

Associate editor of the Journal of Vascular Surgery. The JVS associate editor manages the peer-review process of about 600 submissions a year, recommending a final decision to the editors regarding the publication of a submission.

If you would like to apply for one of these editorial positions, please send your name and a brief summary of your qualifications Jessica McEwan, JVS managing editor at: [email protected]. The deadline for applications is Oct. 1, 2016.

The editors of the Journal of Vascular Surgery Publications are seeking nominations, including self-nominations, for multiple editorial positions. All applicants must be active or senior members of the Society for Vascular Surgery. Prior service on the JVS editorial board is preferred. An annual financial stipend is provided for these editorial roles.

More information about each of the positions listed below can be found in this online document.

Assistant editor of abstracts and book reviews. This editor selects non-JVS abstracts and writes short commentaries for those abstracts for publication in the JVS and JVS-VL. This editor will also write and solicit book reviews.

Assistant editor of social media and press releases. This position requires writing short press release articles for the JVS Journals and drafting Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn posts to promote JVS content.

Assistant editor of reviews for the Journal of Vascular Surgery. The assistant editor solicits review articles and manages the peer-review process for systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and evidence summaries.

Associate basic science editor for the JVS and the JVSVL. This associate editor manages the peer-review process and makes the final decision on manuscript publication for about 200 basic science submissions a year.

Associate editor of the Journal of Vascular Surgery. The JVS associate editor manages the peer-review process of about 600 submissions a year, recommending a final decision to the editors regarding the publication of a submission.

If you would like to apply for one of these editorial positions, please send your name and a brief summary of your qualifications Jessica McEwan, JVS managing editor at: [email protected]. The deadline for applications is Oct. 1, 2016.

All SVS members may submit proposals for invited sessions for the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting, set for May 31 to June 3 (plenaries and exhibits are June 1 to 3) in San Diego, Calif.

Previously, the process was open only to SVS committees; planners opened the process to all members this year, with any and all ideas for sessions to be reviewed for further development.

Invited sessions include postgraduate courses, breakfast and concurrent sessions and workshops. Initial submissions are due Sept. 16. Learn more here.

All SVS members may submit proposals for invited sessions for the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting, set for May 31 to June 3 (plenaries and exhibits are June 1 to 3) in San Diego, Calif.

Previously, the process was open only to SVS committees; planners opened the process to all members this year, with any and all ideas for sessions to be reviewed for further development.

Invited sessions include postgraduate courses, breakfast and concurrent sessions and workshops. Initial submissions are due Sept. 16. Learn more here.

All SVS members may submit proposals for invited sessions for the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting, set for May 31 to June 3 (plenaries and exhibits are June 1 to 3) in San Diego, Calif.

Previously, the process was open only to SVS committees; planners opened the process to all members this year, with any and all ideas for sessions to be reviewed for further development.

Invited sessions include postgraduate courses, breakfast and concurrent sessions and workshops. Initial submissions are due Sept. 16. Learn more here.

SVS members now have access to the first-ever reporting standards for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, published in the September issue (online) at the Journal of Vascular Surgery. Drs. Karl Illig and Audra Duncan led the TOS Reporting Standards Writing Group, which worked for three years to create the reporting standards. The group hopes that with unified data collection, practice guidelines can follow in five to 10 years.

Access the reporting standards here.

SVS members now have access to the first-ever reporting standards for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, published in the September issue (online) at the Journal of Vascular Surgery. Drs. Karl Illig and Audra Duncan led the TOS Reporting Standards Writing Group, which worked for three years to create the reporting standards. The group hopes that with unified data collection, practice guidelines can follow in five to 10 years.

Access the reporting standards here.

SVS members now have access to the first-ever reporting standards for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, published in the September issue (online) at the Journal of Vascular Surgery. Drs. Karl Illig and Audra Duncan led the TOS Reporting Standards Writing Group, which worked for three years to create the reporting standards. The group hopes that with unified data collection, practice guidelines can follow in five to 10 years.

Access the reporting standards here.

Just in time for the September recertification exam! Recordings of the 2015 Comprehensive Vascular Review Course are available for purchase.

The 2015 intensive two-day course was led by vascular surgeons with extensive expertise in their respective fields. The recordings include didactic lectures and review of essential VESAP questions.

The recordings also provide a comprehensive update in all areas of vascular surgery. No CME credit is available.

Purchase the recordings here.

Just in time for the September recertification exam! Recordings of the 2015 Comprehensive Vascular Review Course are available for purchase.

The 2015 intensive two-day course was led by vascular surgeons with extensive expertise in their respective fields. The recordings include didactic lectures and review of essential VESAP questions.

The recordings also provide a comprehensive update in all areas of vascular surgery. No CME credit is available.

Purchase the recordings here.

Just in time for the September recertification exam! Recordings of the 2015 Comprehensive Vascular Review Course are available for purchase.

The 2015 intensive two-day course was led by vascular surgeons with extensive expertise in their respective fields. The recordings include didactic lectures and review of essential VESAP questions.

The recordings also provide a comprehensive update in all areas of vascular surgery. No CME credit is available.

Purchase the recordings here.