Society News

Will the demand be sufficient for the supply of the vascular surgery work force in the United States? That topic, along with potential solutions, will be front and center at the E. Stanley Crawford Critical Issues Forum from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. See HCC, Ballroom A/B.

Will the demand be sufficient for the supply of the vascular surgery work force in the United States? That topic, along with potential solutions, will be front and center at the E. Stanley Crawford Critical Issues Forum from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. See HCC, Ballroom A/B.

Will the demand be sufficient for the supply of the vascular surgery work force in the United States? That topic, along with potential solutions, will be front and center at the E. Stanley Crawford Critical Issues Forum from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. See HCC, Ballroom A/B.

Innovative approaches to minimally invasive repair of the aorta will be featured during Thursday morning’s William J. von Liebig Forum.

“This year, the forum’s focus is on complex aortic endografting for a wide variety of aortic diseases, predominantly thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections,” said session co-moderator Matthew Eagleton, MD, chief of the division of vascular and endovascular surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “Surgeons who treat aortic disease will learn about new devices and new techniques that they will want to incorporate into their practice. They’ll also learn whether some of the techniques and procedures they are currently employing are still worth doing or may have unforeseen risks. Should they change their practices and approaches to patients with complex aortic disease, or should they continue down the road and recognize that it’s safe for patients?” The session will feature eight abstracts from vascular surgeons in the United States and Europe that will accentuate some of the newer, advanced technology, said session co-moderator R. Clement Darling III, MD, chief of the division of vascular surgery at Albany Medical Center Hospital in New York.

“To minimize the complications of complex aortic aneurysm repair, endovascular technology has to be evaluated, and we need to know what works, what doesn’t, and what are the long-term outcomes,” he said. “These presentations will help us understand the best techniques and the best current and future technology in percutaneous repair of complex aneurysms from the aortic arch down to the abdominal aorta.”

The program kicks off with a talk by Emanuel R. Tenorio, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic about a prospective, nonrandomized study to evaluate cone beam computed tomography for technical assessment of standard and complex endovascular aortic repair. In other presentations, Tilo Kölbel, MD, PhD, of the University Heart Center Hamburg in Germany will discuss a single-center experience with a double-branched aortic arch endograft, technology not yet available in the United States. A U.S. national consortium, organized to better assess outcomes for endovascular therapy for complex aortic disease, will discuss their work with target artery outcomes after branched and fenestrated endovascular repair of pararenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms in the U.S. IDE (investigational device exemption) experience, and a group from Bologna, Italy, will discuss the risk of aneurysm rupture and target visceral vessel occlusion during the lead period of custom-made fenestrated/branched endografts.

Additional talks will go over percutaneous large-bore axillary artery access techniques for complicated EVAR (endovascular aneurysm repair) and current guidelines and indications for repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

One concern for much of this new technology is durability, Dr. Darling said. Jason Hurd, MD, of the University of Washington, Seattle, will discuss the long-term durability of a physician-modified endograft.

“We in the U.S. don’t have access to some of the technology that’s available worldwide, and there are physicians out there who do modifications of their own endografts,” Dr. Eagleton said. “This study happens to look at a prospectively maintained database from a physician-sponsored IDE study to specifically look at outcomes with regard to physician modification. The results of this are very important for us to know – is this something we can do for patients [who] need it, or is this something we should just shy away from completely? We don’t know the answer.”

Thursday
8:30 – 10 a.m.
HCC, Ballroom A/B
S1: William J. von Liebig Forum

Innovative approaches to minimally invasive repair of the aorta will be featured during Thursday morning’s William J. von Liebig Forum.

“This year, the forum’s focus is on complex aortic endografting for a wide variety of aortic diseases, predominantly thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections,” said session co-moderator Matthew Eagleton, MD, chief of the division of vascular and endovascular surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “Surgeons who treat aortic disease will learn about new devices and new techniques that they will want to incorporate into their practice. They’ll also learn whether some of the techniques and procedures they are currently employing are still worth doing or may have unforeseen risks. Should they change their practices and approaches to patients with complex aortic disease, or should they continue down the road and recognize that it’s safe for patients?” The session will feature eight abstracts from vascular surgeons in the United States and Europe that will accentuate some of the newer, advanced technology, said session co-moderator R. Clement Darling III, MD, chief of the division of vascular surgery at Albany Medical Center Hospital in New York.

“To minimize the complications of complex aortic aneurysm repair, endovascular technology has to be evaluated, and we need to know what works, what doesn’t, and what are the long-term outcomes,” he said. “These presentations will help us understand the best techniques and the best current and future technology in percutaneous repair of complex aneurysms from the aortic arch down to the abdominal aorta.”

The program kicks off with a talk by Emanuel R. Tenorio, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic about a prospective, nonrandomized study to evaluate cone beam computed tomography for technical assessment of standard and complex endovascular aortic repair. In other presentations, Tilo Kölbel, MD, PhD, of the University Heart Center Hamburg in Germany will discuss a single-center experience with a double-branched aortic arch endograft, technology not yet available in the United States. A U.S. national consortium, organized to better assess outcomes for endovascular therapy for complex aortic disease, will discuss their work with target artery outcomes after branched and fenestrated endovascular repair of pararenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms in the U.S. IDE (investigational device exemption) experience, and a group from Bologna, Italy, will discuss the risk of aneurysm rupture and target visceral vessel occlusion during the lead period of custom-made fenestrated/branched endografts.

Additional talks will go over percutaneous large-bore axillary artery access techniques for complicated EVAR (endovascular aneurysm repair) and current guidelines and indications for repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

One concern for much of this new technology is durability, Dr. Darling said. Jason Hurd, MD, of the University of Washington, Seattle, will discuss the long-term durability of a physician-modified endograft.

“We in the U.S. don’t have access to some of the technology that’s available worldwide, and there are physicians out there who do modifications of their own endografts,” Dr. Eagleton said. “This study happens to look at a prospectively maintained database from a physician-sponsored IDE study to specifically look at outcomes with regard to physician modification. The results of this are very important for us to know – is this something we can do for patients [who] need it, or is this something we should just shy away from completely? We don’t know the answer.”

Thursday
8:30 – 10 a.m.
HCC, Ballroom A/B
S1: William J. von Liebig Forum

Innovative approaches to minimally invasive repair of the aorta will be featured during Thursday morning’s William J. von Liebig Forum.

“This year, the forum’s focus is on complex aortic endografting for a wide variety of aortic diseases, predominantly thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections,” said session co-moderator Matthew Eagleton, MD, chief of the division of vascular and endovascular surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “Surgeons who treat aortic disease will learn about new devices and new techniques that they will want to incorporate into their practice. They’ll also learn whether some of the techniques and procedures they are currently employing are still worth doing or may have unforeseen risks. Should they change their practices and approaches to patients with complex aortic disease, or should they continue down the road and recognize that it’s safe for patients?” The session will feature eight abstracts from vascular surgeons in the United States and Europe that will accentuate some of the newer, advanced technology, said session co-moderator R. Clement Darling III, MD, chief of the division of vascular surgery at Albany Medical Center Hospital in New York.

“To minimize the complications of complex aortic aneurysm repair, endovascular technology has to be evaluated, and we need to know what works, what doesn’t, and what are the long-term outcomes,” he said. “These presentations will help us understand the best techniques and the best current and future technology in percutaneous repair of complex aneurysms from the aortic arch down to the abdominal aorta.”

The program kicks off with a talk by Emanuel R. Tenorio, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic about a prospective, nonrandomized study to evaluate cone beam computed tomography for technical assessment of standard and complex endovascular aortic repair. In other presentations, Tilo Kölbel, MD, PhD, of the University Heart Center Hamburg in Germany will discuss a single-center experience with a double-branched aortic arch endograft, technology not yet available in the United States. A U.S. national consortium, organized to better assess outcomes for endovascular therapy for complex aortic disease, will discuss their work with target artery outcomes after branched and fenestrated endovascular repair of pararenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms in the U.S. IDE (investigational device exemption) experience, and a group from Bologna, Italy, will discuss the risk of aneurysm rupture and target visceral vessel occlusion during the lead period of custom-made fenestrated/branched endografts.

Additional talks will go over percutaneous large-bore axillary artery access techniques for complicated EVAR (endovascular aneurysm repair) and current guidelines and indications for repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

One concern for much of this new technology is durability, Dr. Darling said. Jason Hurd, MD, of the University of Washington, Seattle, will discuss the long-term durability of a physician-modified endograft.

“We in the U.S. don’t have access to some of the technology that’s available worldwide, and there are physicians out there who do modifications of their own endografts,” Dr. Eagleton said. “This study happens to look at a prospectively maintained database from a physician-sponsored IDE study to specifically look at outcomes with regard to physician modification. The results of this are very important for us to know – is this something we can do for patients [who] need it, or is this something we should just shy away from completely? We don’t know the answer.”

Thursday
8:30 – 10 a.m.
HCC, Ballroom A/B
S1: William J. von Liebig Forum

This year’s SVS Foundation’s Resident Research Award is being presented to Kaspar M. Trocha, MD, for his research on vein graft disease. As a member of the laboratories of C. Keith Ozaki, MD, and James Mitchell, MD, along with co-first author Peter Kip, MD, and microsurgeon Ming Tao, MD, the group studies the effects of food intake immediately before surgery on vascular adaptations.

Dietary restriction (reducing food intake without malnutrition) has been a topic of special interest in the science community for decades, and restricting calories in the long term has been shown to extend life and health span in a variety of species. It can also protect from overexuberant responses to trauma and ischemia-reperfusion.

Dr. Mitchell found that the benefits from long-term food restriction could be acquired as rapidly as in a few days, pointing to a potential for implementing dietary restriction recommendations prior to elective surgery.

The response to stress benefits seen following brief dietary interventions are mediated by the gaseous signaling molecule hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). H₂S is strongly upregulated by dietary restriction and this “rotten egg” gas seems to be protective for the cardiovascular system and has been demonstrated to be involved in vasodilation, inflammation, and atherogenesis, according to the researchers. The group’s experiments thus tested short-term protein restriction (a more feasible dietary approach for patients that observed to induce H₂S) in a microsurgical mouse vein graft model.

The team discovered that cutting all protein from the animal diet for just 1 week before surgery led to increased levels of the enzyme cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CGL) that makes H₂S, higher levels of the protective gaseous molecule, less early vein graft inflammation, and less eventual occlusive vein graft disease even though the animals were returned to their usual high-fat diet postop. The group also confirmed these results by constructing a new mouse strain that overexpresses CGL, and these mice were protected from vein graft disease. Conversely, blocking this enzyme negated all the beneficial effects of the dietary restriction.

According to Dr. Trocha and his colleagues, “short-term pre-operative protein restriction and manipulation of H₂S stand as novel, economical approaches to enhance vein graft durability and perhaps even lessen peri-operative complications, and we are in the early stages of testing this strategy in vascular surgery patients.”

Dr. Trocha’s research was supported by the Harvard-Longwood Research Training in Vascular Surgery NIH T32 Grant and Dr. Ozaki’s NIH and American Heart Association grants. The Resident Research Award is given to one individual each year as determined by the SVS Research and Education Committee with the intent of motivating physicians early in their training to pursue their interest in research that explores the biology of vascular disease and potential translational therapies. The recognition includes plenary presentation at the Vascular Annual Meeting, a $5,000 award and a 1-year complimentary subscription to the Journal of Vascular Surgery. 

This year’s SVS Foundation’s Resident Research Award is being presented to Kaspar M. Trocha, MD, for his research on vein graft disease. As a member of the laboratories of C. Keith Ozaki, MD, and James Mitchell, MD, along with co-first author Peter Kip, MD, and microsurgeon Ming Tao, MD, the group studies the effects of food intake immediately before surgery on vascular adaptations.

Dietary restriction (reducing food intake without malnutrition) has been a topic of special interest in the science community for decades, and restricting calories in the long term has been shown to extend life and health span in a variety of species. It can also protect from overexuberant responses to trauma and ischemia-reperfusion.

Dr. Mitchell found that the benefits from long-term food restriction could be acquired as rapidly as in a few days, pointing to a potential for implementing dietary restriction recommendations prior to elective surgery.

The response to stress benefits seen following brief dietary interventions are mediated by the gaseous signaling molecule hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). H₂S is strongly upregulated by dietary restriction and this “rotten egg” gas seems to be protective for the cardiovascular system and has been demonstrated to be involved in vasodilation, inflammation, and atherogenesis, according to the researchers. The group’s experiments thus tested short-term protein restriction (a more feasible dietary approach for patients that observed to induce H₂S) in a microsurgical mouse vein graft model.

The team discovered that cutting all protein from the animal diet for just 1 week before surgery led to increased levels of the enzyme cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CGL) that makes H₂S, higher levels of the protective gaseous molecule, less early vein graft inflammation, and less eventual occlusive vein graft disease even though the animals were returned to their usual high-fat diet postop. The group also confirmed these results by constructing a new mouse strain that overexpresses CGL, and these mice were protected from vein graft disease. Conversely, blocking this enzyme negated all the beneficial effects of the dietary restriction.

According to Dr. Trocha and his colleagues, “short-term pre-operative protein restriction and manipulation of H₂S stand as novel, economical approaches to enhance vein graft durability and perhaps even lessen peri-operative complications, and we are in the early stages of testing this strategy in vascular surgery patients.”

Dr. Trocha’s research was supported by the Harvard-Longwood Research Training in Vascular Surgery NIH T32 Grant and Dr. Ozaki’s NIH and American Heart Association grants. The Resident Research Award is given to one individual each year as determined by the SVS Research and Education Committee with the intent of motivating physicians early in their training to pursue their interest in research that explores the biology of vascular disease and potential translational therapies. The recognition includes plenary presentation at the Vascular Annual Meeting, a $5,000 award and a 1-year complimentary subscription to the Journal of Vascular Surgery. 

This year’s SVS Foundation’s Resident Research Award is being presented to Kaspar M. Trocha, MD, for his research on vein graft disease. As a member of the laboratories of C. Keith Ozaki, MD, and James Mitchell, MD, along with co-first author Peter Kip, MD, and microsurgeon Ming Tao, MD, the group studies the effects of food intake immediately before surgery on vascular adaptations.

Dietary restriction (reducing food intake without malnutrition) has been a topic of special interest in the science community for decades, and restricting calories in the long term has been shown to extend life and health span in a variety of species. It can also protect from overexuberant responses to trauma and ischemia-reperfusion.

Dr. Mitchell found that the benefits from long-term food restriction could be acquired as rapidly as in a few days, pointing to a potential for implementing dietary restriction recommendations prior to elective surgery.

The response to stress benefits seen following brief dietary interventions are mediated by the gaseous signaling molecule hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). H₂S is strongly upregulated by dietary restriction and this “rotten egg” gas seems to be protective for the cardiovascular system and has been demonstrated to be involved in vasodilation, inflammation, and atherogenesis, according to the researchers. The group’s experiments thus tested short-term protein restriction (a more feasible dietary approach for patients that observed to induce H₂S) in a microsurgical mouse vein graft model.

The team discovered that cutting all protein from the animal diet for just 1 week before surgery led to increased levels of the enzyme cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CGL) that makes H₂S, higher levels of the protective gaseous molecule, less early vein graft inflammation, and less eventual occlusive vein graft disease even though the animals were returned to their usual high-fat diet postop. The group also confirmed these results by constructing a new mouse strain that overexpresses CGL, and these mice were protected from vein graft disease. Conversely, blocking this enzyme negated all the beneficial effects of the dietary restriction.

According to Dr. Trocha and his colleagues, “short-term pre-operative protein restriction and manipulation of H₂S stand as novel, economical approaches to enhance vein graft durability and perhaps even lessen peri-operative complications, and we are in the early stages of testing this strategy in vascular surgery patients.”

Dr. Trocha’s research was supported by the Harvard-Longwood Research Training in Vascular Surgery NIH T32 Grant and Dr. Ozaki’s NIH and American Heart Association grants. The Resident Research Award is given to one individual each year as determined by the SVS Research and Education Committee with the intent of motivating physicians early in their training to pursue their interest in research that explores the biology of vascular disease and potential translational therapies. The recognition includes plenary presentation at the Vascular Annual Meeting, a $5,000 award and a 1-year complimentary subscription to the Journal of Vascular Surgery. 

The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) announces a new partnership with Medscape focused on supporting physicians in addressing the challenges of diagnosing and treating moderate to severe asthma. The Moderate to Severe Asthma Center of Excellence will provide news, expert commentary, and insights on challenging cases to physicians specializing in chest medicine, allergy, primary care, pediatrics, and emergency medicine.

Medscape is a leading source of clinical news, health information, and point-of-care tools for physicians and health-care professionals. This new Center of Excellence available on Medscape.com will explore the diagnostic, therapeutic, and prevention strategies associated with moderate to severe asthma, including the latest research and breakthroughs. Topics will include challenges in classifying and diagnosing disease; risks, benefits, and barriers to treatment; and impact on patients’ quality of life.

Don’t miss Dr. Aaron Holley’s video on “Diagnosing Severe Asthma: ‘Not as Easy as It Sounds’ ”

Visit the Moderate to Severe Asthma Center of Excellence at https://www.medscape.com/resource/moderate-severe-asthma

The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) announces a new partnership with Medscape focused on supporting physicians in addressing the challenges of diagnosing and treating moderate to severe asthma. The Moderate to Severe Asthma Center of Excellence will provide news, expert commentary, and insights on challenging cases to physicians specializing in chest medicine, allergy, primary care, pediatrics, and emergency medicine.

Medscape is a leading source of clinical news, health information, and point-of-care tools for physicians and health-care professionals. This new Center of Excellence available on Medscape.com will explore the diagnostic, therapeutic, and prevention strategies associated with moderate to severe asthma, including the latest research and breakthroughs. Topics will include challenges in classifying and diagnosing disease; risks, benefits, and barriers to treatment; and impact on patients’ quality of life.

Don’t miss Dr. Aaron Holley’s video on “Diagnosing Severe Asthma: ‘Not as Easy as It Sounds’ ”

Visit the Moderate to Severe Asthma Center of Excellence at https://www.medscape.com/resource/moderate-severe-asthma

The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) announces a new partnership with Medscape focused on supporting physicians in addressing the challenges of diagnosing and treating moderate to severe asthma. The Moderate to Severe Asthma Center of Excellence will provide news, expert commentary, and insights on challenging cases to physicians specializing in chest medicine, allergy, primary care, pediatrics, and emergency medicine.

Medscape is a leading source of clinical news, health information, and point-of-care tools for physicians and health-care professionals. This new Center of Excellence available on Medscape.com will explore the diagnostic, therapeutic, and prevention strategies associated with moderate to severe asthma, including the latest research and breakthroughs. Topics will include challenges in classifying and diagnosing disease; risks, benefits, and barriers to treatment; and impact on patients’ quality of life.

Don’t miss Dr. Aaron Holley’s video on “Diagnosing Severe Asthma: ‘Not as Easy as It Sounds’ ”

Visit the Moderate to Severe Asthma Center of Excellence at https://www.medscape.com/resource/moderate-severe-asthma

We're now on Instagram, a social media app designed for sharing photos and videos from a smartphone. Be sure to follow us!

We're now on Instagram, a social media app designed for sharing photos and videos from a smartphone. Be sure to follow us!

We're now on Instagram, a social media app designed for sharing photos and videos from a smartphone. Be sure to follow us!

The mobile app for the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting will be available Wednesday for both Apple and Android products. The app has been rebuilt from the ground up, for a very user-friendly experience. It’s interactive, comprehensive and searchable and includes many helpful features:

• My Schedule: Mark sessions as favorites on either the Planner or app, then see all of them in the My Schedule section.
• Educational Credits: Take self-assessment exams, via the app, and/or claim Continuing Medical Education credits.
• Scavenger Hunt: Participate in the big game in the Exhibit Hall; using your app, scan QR codes found in the booths of sponsors, then answer the question that pops up. The three people who earn the most points for correct answers win great prizes.
• Social Media – Let all your friends know what you’re up to by linking to social media

Download at Apple’s App Store and at Google Play.

The mobile app for the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting will be available Wednesday for both Apple and Android products. The app has been rebuilt from the ground up, for a very user-friendly experience. It’s interactive, comprehensive and searchable and includes many helpful features:

• My Schedule: Mark sessions as favorites on either the Planner or app, then see all of them in the My Schedule section.
• Educational Credits: Take self-assessment exams, via the app, and/or claim Continuing Medical Education credits.
• Scavenger Hunt: Participate in the big game in the Exhibit Hall; using your app, scan QR codes found in the booths of sponsors, then answer the question that pops up. The three people who earn the most points for correct answers win great prizes.
• Social Media – Let all your friends know what you’re up to by linking to social media

Download at Apple’s App Store and at Google Play.

The mobile app for the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting will be available Wednesday for both Apple and Android products. The app has been rebuilt from the ground up, for a very user-friendly experience. It’s interactive, comprehensive and searchable and includes many helpful features:

• My Schedule: Mark sessions as favorites on either the Planner or app, then see all of them in the My Schedule section.
• Educational Credits: Take self-assessment exams, via the app, and/or claim Continuing Medical Education credits.
• Scavenger Hunt: Participate in the big game in the Exhibit Hall; using your app, scan QR codes found in the booths of sponsors, then answer the question that pops up. The three people who earn the most points for correct answers win great prizes.
• Social Media – Let all your friends know what you’re up to by linking to social media

Download at Apple’s App Store and at Google Play.