"Aortic Live 2" International heart and vascular
specialists convene in Essen
 Approximately 350 doctors expected to be at one of the
world's leading heart congresses featuring over 80 international speakers
 Around 20 live broadcasts of operations conducted in Essen,
Marseille, Philadelphia and Beijing
 On-the spot training of junior doctors in "wet labs"
Essen, 09/02/2016 - In 2012 3,600 Germans succumbed to aortic
disorders - the same number as that of road traffic fatalities the same
year. Successful treatment of such a disease is therefore of great
importance - which is why international cardiovascular specialists are
convening from 11th to 13th September in the main auditorium of the
Medical Faculty at the University of Duisburg-Essen on the campus of the
University Hospital of Essen (UH Essen) for one of the world's leading
conferences for heart and vascular surgeons to share knowledge on the
latest treatment methods. After the success of 2012 with over 250
delegates, the Congress Presidents, Prof Dr Heinz Jakob, Prof Dr Raimund
Erbel and Prof Dr Wilhelm Sandmann expect this year's "Aortic Live 2" to
attract even higher numbers of specialists in cardiac and vascular surgery
and related inner medicine disciplines of cardiology and angiology. To this
end, they have worked with the organisers, the West German Heart Centre
in Essen, to extend the programme significantly this time around: As well
as around 20 live broadcasts of operations on the entire aorta, delegates
will have the opportunity to learn more about the latest surgical, catheterbased and minimally invasive procedures, with almost 40 presentations
and round-table discussion groups.
"The focus of this year's event - alongside the latest methods of treatment for
various aortic disorders - is clearly to encourage exchanges between the heart and
vascular surgeons", explains Prof Dr Heinz Jakob, Director of the Thoracic and
Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic at the West German Heart Centre in Essen, part of UH
Essen. "Despite great progress, the two disciplines have taken different paths in the
past 20 years, experience both disciplines can benefit from. One example is the fact
that patients' disorders are now considered in a more holistic manner than before.
As a result, we have this year again invited both heart and vascular surgeons to the
event and are offering lectures in both disciplines. We've been able to secure the
services of over 80 internationally renowned experts for this", Prof Jakob continues.
In selecting the 20 live surgeries that can be followed in 3D in the main auditorium
on site and also worldwide in a variety of locations, the team has taken special care
to ensure a fair mix of both disciplines. For the first time, international surgeons
have also agreed to live transmission beyond their immediate vicinities: "We're
delighted to be able to provide not just live broadcasts of the Essen procedures but
also satellite broadcasts straight to Essen from Philadelphia, Beijing and Marseille",
said private lecturer Dr Matthias Thielmann, a member of Prof Jakob's organizing
team. "This way, our delegates are up front and close both visually and acoustically
to the operation while it's going on, and they're able to interact with the surgeons
and thus benefit from their methods." In addition, it will be possible to follow the
meeting live from anywhere in the world via the Internet, to ask questions and
discuss the experts' experience in treating various aortic disorders.
Attractive programme for young heart and vascular surgeons
As well as exchanging information on latest treatment methods, the congress will
offer young doctors, especially the opportunity to train further in both theory and
practice and expand their personal networks: "We'll be using so-called 'wet labs' to
allow young doctors, for example, to practise certain treatment techniques on
simulators under the watchful eye of experienced surgeons", explains Prof Jakob.
This offering was extremely well received in 2012. As a result, the organisers
decided to dedicate more timetable space to this item: "At 'Aortic Live 2' we'll be
offering a total of 13 wet labs on a very wide variety of subject areas. This will
range from treating a diseased aortic valve and torn aortae through to the use of
stents (blood vessel supports) to help prevent, among other things, occlusion of the
coronary arteries and in the aorta and its exits by supporting outgrowths known as
aneurysms or dissections, i.e. 'internal ruptures'", says Prof Dr Raimund Erbel,
Director of the Clinic for Cardiology.
In addition to this, until 15th August the young doctors will be able to register for a
'Poster Prize' using their own insights and ideas on new treatment methods. "Here,
a panel of five experienced heart and vascular surgeons will assess the ideas
presented on posters in the main auditorium. The best of them will recive awards 1,000 euros for the winner and 500 euros for the runner-up", explains Prof Jakob.
"One benefit is that young professionals will be able to make presentations to
seasoned colleagues. Another is that, perhaps, world experts might even discover a
new approach that could revolutionise the way a particular disease is treated", adds
Prof Wilhelm Sandmann, Vascular Surgeon and also President of the Congress.
"We're excited to see how many junior doctors will attend this year - we think the
programme offers a good incentive for coming along", says the organizing team led
by senior physicians Drs Daniel Wendt, Konstantinos Tsagakis, Matthias Thielmann
and Jaroslav Benedictine confidently.
The programme will also feature an extensive peripheral exhibition in which
renowned manufacturers and suppliers will present their cardiac and vascular
surgery products. "Here, visitors to 'Aortic Live 2' will have the opportunity to
consult over a cup of coffee on the latest technical developments. Of course, this
exhibition also provides an opportunity to exchange views on the stands with
international colleagues about the latest trends and their own experiences. Overall,
we're confident our colleagues will experience a really interesting congress offering
a broad view of current trends in the field of cardiac and vascular surgery", Prof
Jakob concludes.
Notes to newsroom colleagues:
Media representatives are very welcome to attend "Aortic Live 2" and will have the
opportunity to attend the operation transmissions or take part in a wet lab. If
interested, please contact Petra Courvoisier, Telephone +49 (0) 0201 723-4901,
e-mail: petra.courvoisier@uk-essen.de.
Press contact:
Burkhard Büscher
Press Officer
Office of Marketing and Communications
Tel.: +49 (0) 201 723-2115
burkhard.buescher@uk-essen.de
www.uk-essen.de
For more information:
Prof Dr Heinz Jakob
Director of the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic
West German Heart Centre in Essen
Tel.: +49 (0) 201 723-4900
heinz.jakob@uk-essen.de
www.aortic-live.de
About the University Hospital of Essen (UH Essen)
As a maximum care hospital, the University Hospital of Essen (UH Essen) is
currently the largest single-campus university hospital in the Ruhr conurbation,
making it truly the “the Hospital of the metropolitan Ruhr area“. Each year,
approximately 50,000 patients are hospitalised in the 1,300 beds, and 165,000
outpatients treated. 5,800 experts from a wide variety of disciplines across 27
clinics and 22 institutes ensure excellent interdisciplinary diagnosis and treatment
at the cutting edge of research. The three pillars of research, teaching and patient
care form the common thread linking all we do at UH Essen - and our focus is, at
all times, on the individual. In addition to research into genetic medicine,
immunology and infectious diseases, UH Essen has concentrated successfully for
years on the three main areas of oncology, cardiovascular medicine and
transplants. With the West German Tumour Centre Essen, Germany’s largest
tumour centre, the West German Heart Centre Essen, which performs more than
2,000 operations per year, and the top international transplant centre, where all
the vital organs, i.e. liver international, kidney, pancreas, heart and lungs, are
transplanted, UH Essen has built up an outstanding position.