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Education

Network and stay on the cutting edge of cardiothoracic surgeryView All >

Zoom credentials will be shared with registrants closer to the event date.

Join STS-PAC Chair Keith S. Naunheim, MD, and STS Council on Health Policy and Relationships Chair Joseph C. Cleveland Jr., MD, for a conversation about the outcome of the 2024 election and how it will affect cardiothoracic surgeons, their practices, and their patients. 

Discussion topics include: 

Date
6 p.m. ET
An STS collaboration with the Asian Society for Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery
Event dates
Nov 14–16, 2024
Location
Tokyo, Japan

News & Media

The latest from the field of thoracic surgeryView All >

At the 2024 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, leaders in cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology came together, signaling a newfound harmony over coronary revascularization practices for complex heart conditions. This session marked a significant change from the intense disagreements that followed the EXCEL trial controversy five years ago, which raised concerns about data interpretation in revascularization treatments for left main disease.

In a joint session between EACTS and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), Dr. Alaide Chieffo (Vita Salute San Raffaele University, Milan) and Dr. Patrick Myers (Lausanne University Hospitals, Switzerland) presented a united front on revascularization strategy, referencing the ESC’s recent guidelines for managing chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) with a patient-centered approach. The guidelines, collaboratively crafted by cardiologists and surgeons, reflect a shared understanding of both PCI and CABG as valuable options for coronary artery disease based on individual patient conditions.

“We've gone full circle,” Dr. Myers told TCTMD. “The latest guidelines have a left main chapter that EACTS endorses because we all feel that this represents the evidence best. It's very positive to see that we've gone from surgeons unilaterally looking at the data and saying, ‘Wait a minute, this is not reasonable. We don't agree with this,’ to saying, ‘Okay, let's work on this together.’” His comments underscore the shift from discord to collaboration in developing best practices for patients with multivessel coronary artery disease, left main disease, and heart failure.

EACTS President Dr. Volkmar Falk (German Heart Center Berlin) echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the endorsed guidelines demonstrate alignment with cardiologists and aim to serve patient needs effectively. He urged further collaboration by encouraging attendance at cardiology-focused conferences, saying, “Go to ESC, go to EuroPCR, be present at these meetings, and engage in the discussion there. It’s one thing to discuss this here at EACTS… We have to also join our cardiology friends and go to their meetings.”

In her presentation, Dr. Chieffo underscored that a “patient-centered” approach should guide heart team discussions for complex cases and highlighted that care recommendations depend on various factors—including hospital capabilities. She explained that CCS guidelines offer a Class I recommendation for CABG in low-surgical-risk patients and for PCI in low-anatomic-complexity cases, stressing that patient-centered care takes into account individualized patient needs rather than simply following patient preferences.

With the introduction of these guidelines, both EACTS and ESC reaffirm their commitment to improving outcomes through collaboration and shared expertise across disciplines, reflecting a renewed spirit of partnership in cardiovascular care.

Nov 8, 2024
2 min read

In this first episode of Thinking Thoracic, podcast host Dr. Erin Gillaspie talks with Dr. Wade Iams about notable takeaways on key clinical trials presented at the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer and how these findings will help shape the thoracic surgery landscape. They share proactive steps on enhancing relationships within a multidisciplinary lung cancer care team and improving handoffs between specialties like surgery, medical oncology, and radiation.

40 mins
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lung cancer awareness month

As Lung Cancer Awareness Month begins, it’s important to reflect on the significant efforts made by STS over the past year to advocate for improved lung cancer outcomes and raise awareness. Key initiatives have included:  

2 min read
Derek Brandt, JD, STS Advocacy
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STS News, the Society’s quarterly magazine for members only, brings you the latest CT surgery news, research, stories, and more to help keep you in the know and connected to your peers.

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Member Voices

Joseph F. Sabik

Joseph F. Sabik III, MD

STS Second Vice President
It’s about making sure that patients get the right treatment, so they can have the best long-term outcomes.
Africa Wallace, MD

Africa F. Wallace, MD

DEI Workforce Member
Our roles as attendings, division chiefs, chairs, coaches, and mentors come with a larger responsibility.

Robert S.D. Higgins, MD

STS Past President
STS was the first place where I was welcomed to be part of like-minded surgeons focused on patients, who improved outcomes, and had a mission.