Monthly Newsletter - December 2005
Dear CTSNet Member,
This will be our final communication for 2005. We wish you a wonderful holiday and a World of Peace and Happiness in 2006.
e-COMMERCE SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE
Extending business transactions to the Web requires that the confidentiality and security of consumer data and the processing of payments be done in a secure and reliable environment. CTSNet now provides participating organizations with a straightforward e-commerce solution that enables transactions to occur via the Web. Using the state-of-the-art CTSNet e-Commerce service, participating organizations can conduct secure transactions online, without configuring underlying technology and without having to deal with the complexities of setting up private merchant accounts. CTSNet will work with organizations to set up transaction systems that best meet their needs. To learn how this unique service can benefit your organization, please contact Ray Everngam.
HOLIDAY SUGGESTION FOR BOOKWORMS
Looking for an easy way to get those last minute gifts? Order from Amazon.com direct from CTSNet by simply accessing the CTSNet Bookstore.
WORLD HEART FOUNDATION
Dr. Tom Pezzella describes the efforts of the humanitarian community to improve cardiac surgery in Mongolia, a country undergoing vast social, economic, and political changes. Dr. Pezzella has traveled to Mongolia four times in the last two years. His essay is entitled "On Location in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia."
In a contribution to the New Horizons Section of the Resident's page, Dr. C. Barber Mueller, former Chair of the Department of Surgery at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, gave these remarks to the medical students at that institution. Every physician and physician-to-be should read “The Privilege of Caring.”
TSRA/TSDA MEETING
The Thoracic Surgery Residents Association (TSRA) and the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association (TSDA) announce the Inaugural Cardiothoracic Technology Symposium for cardiothoracic surgical residents on May 19-21, 2006, at the University of Cincinnati. This interactive symposium will expose residents to emerging technologies and minimally invasive techniques with a hands-on animal/cadaver laboratory. Visit their webpage for more information. http://www.ctsymposium.org/
REMINDER – ABSTRACT DEADLINE
The abstract deadline for the Western Thoracic Surgical Association (WTSA) is JANUARY 6, 2006. Submit abstracts electronically: The meeting will be held June 21-24, 2006 at the Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley, Idaho.
SIX NEW RESIDENT SYMPOSIUM LECTURES
Six new Resident Symposium Lectures given in March, 2005, and sponsored by St. Jude Medical, have been posted. They are:
“Surgical Treatment of Heart Failure Following Anterior Myocardial Infarction” by CL Anathasuleas, MD, Norway Clinic and Carraway Methodist Medical Center, Birmingham, AL.
"Circulation Management During Great Vessel Surgery" by Joseph E. Bavaria, MD, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
"The Future of Surgery for Atrial Fibrillation" by James L. Cox, MD, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
“The Use of Mechanical Cardiac Valve Prostheses” by Robert W. Emery, MD, Cardiac Surgical Associates, St. Paul, MN.
"Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation: State of the Art and Future Directions" by Richard J. Shemin, MD, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
“Finally, My Residency Is Over: Now What?” by Grayson H. Wheatley III MD, Arizona Heart Institute, Phoenix, AZ.
EDWARDS ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF NEW MITRAL VALVE REPAIR THERAPY
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation announces the European and U.S. launch of a new mitral valve repair therapy designed to treat mitral valve insufficiency in patients suffering from congestive heart failure.
The Edwards GeoForm annuloplasty ring, which features a unique, three-dimensional shape, has been shown to treat successfully mitral regurgitation caused by cardiomyopathy and to improve the function of the left ventricle, according to a presentation delivered at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery (EACTS) in Barcelona. Cardiomyopathy is a common form of congestive heart failure that affects tens of thousands of people annually.
In his presentation, "GeoForm: A New Valvular Solution for a Ventricular Problem," Steven F. Bolling, MD, Professor of Surgery and Director of the University of Michigan Health System's Mitral Valve Clinic, presented results from a prospective study of 16 congestive heart failure patients, all of whom were suffering from mitral valve regurgitation due to distortion of the left ventricle. Six months after the patients' mitral valves were surgically repaired with the Edwards GeoForm annuloplasty ring, their mitral valve regurgitation was eliminated and the left ventricle was reformed.
Edwards Lifesciences developed the GeoForm ring with Prof. Ottavio M. Alfieri, MD, of St. Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy and with Dr. Bolling.
For more information, please visit http://www.edwards.com/.
Cryocath Technologies Inc. announces two new systems
CRYOCATH TECHNOLOGIES INC. announces the release of TWO NEW Surgical CryoAblation Systems, SurgiFrost 7 cm probe and FrostByte, a unique 2-in-1 cryoclamp device. The systems utilize CryoCath's new Argon technology to rapidly achieve -160°C in 30 to 60 seconds. SurgiFrost & FrostByte allow surgeons to complete all lesion lines efficiently while cryoadhesion ensures certainty in lesion placement and the ability to manipulate heart tissue. In the United States the cryosurgical systems are indicated for minimally invasive cardiac surgical procedures, including the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, 510(k) cleared.
MEDTRONIC cardiac surgery announces Cardioblate® BP2 Surgical Ablation System
MEDTRONIC CARDIAC SURGERY announces the release of its new Cardioblate® BP2 Surgical Ablation System. The new system features an irrigated bipolar ablation device with a flexible neck and slim, 7 cm active electrodes. Simply rotate the head or shape the malleable electrodes as the situation requires.
Terumo Adds new featured product
TERUMO CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS has added a new Featured Product: VirtuoSaph(tm) Endoscopic Vein Harvesting System.
EACTS announces Multimedia Manual of Cardiothoracic Surgery
The EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY (EACTS) is pleased to announce the launch of the Multimedia Manual of Cardiothoracic Surgery (MMCTS) - the premier on-line manual of cardiothoracic surgical procedures. Illustrated with videos and schematics, and including literature and product hyperlinks, MMCTS provides an interactive, multimedia guide to surgical procedures and related information. Authored by invited experts and edited by Dr. Marko Turina and a team of international specialists, MMCTS is now fully integrated into the CTSNet and HighWire Press journal collection. It is targeted at students, specialists and trainees, and is open to comments from readers.
CTSNET BOOKSTORE: New Volume Available!
"Managing Failed Anti-Reflux Therapy" by Mark K. Ferguson and M. Brian Fennerty. Use our exclusive Amazon service.
Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery Center
- "Percutaneous Heart Valve Technology" is the current topic, with the lead article, "Percutaneous Heart Valve Technology As I See It", by Thomas A. Vassiliades Jr., MD of Atlanta, Georgia. The guest commentaries are by Ajit P. Yoganathan, PhD, Atlanta, Georgia; Irving L. Kron, MD, Charlottesville, Virginia; Ted Feldman, MD, Evanston, Illinois; and Steven F. Bolling, MD, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- Doctors Ryan E. Accord, Maastricht, Krishna Khargi, The Hague, and Jos G. Maessen, Maastricht, all of The Netherlands, have written a new article entitled "The Issue of Transmurality in Surgical Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation." Drs. Khargi and Maessen are Editors of the Arrhythmia Innovation Center.
- The first in a series of videos presented at the November 2005 meeting of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association (STSA) is entitled "Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Repair via Bilateral Thoracosternotomy (Clamshell) Approach" by Drs. Jayesh Dhareshwar and Thoralf M. Sundt III of the Mayo Clinic.
- Dr. Jeff L. Myers, Chief of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, has permitted CTSNet to publish the log of his experiences when Katrina devastated his home community. We think you will find this Special Report fascinating yet sobering reading.
- The Third Quarter 2005 THORACIC LITERATURE WATCH, compiled by Dr. Mark K. Ferguson, is now available.
- The Adult Cardiac Literature Watch for the third quarter of 2005 is now available. This Section is edited by Doctors Eric J. Okum, Chicago, Illinois, and Domenico Pagano, Birmingham, UK.
Thoracic
- A New Thoracic Expert Technique by Dr. Gaetano Rocco of Naples, Italy entitled " Wedge Resection of Solitary Pulmonary Nodules Through Uniportal VATS " is now available.
Cardiac
- A Cardiac Expert Technique entitled "Valve Sparing Aortic Root Replacement with Aortic Valve Re-Implantation" by Dr. George Tolis, Jr., Chief, Aortic Surgery Center, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY, is available.
Congenital
- A congenital heart Expert Technique contribution from Dr. Victor O. Morell of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA is available: "Aortic Translocation for TGA with VSD and PS." Also included is a commentary by Section Editor Dr. Carl L. Backer.
- Doctors Uttam Tripathy, C. Kristian Enestvedt, Christopher B. Komanapalli and Mithran S. Sukumar of Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, present a Clinical Case entitled "Necrotizing Esophagitis: The Black Esophagus."
Organizations
Have you registered for the upcoming STS 42nd Annual Meeting? Act now. You don’t want to miss it!
- STS/AATS Tech-Con 2006
- More scientific posters
- New Case Presentation Breakfast Sessions using your cases
- Opportunities to meet one-on-one with experts to discuss your difficult cases
- A new Cultural Competence Symposium
- Outstanding Scientific Sessions
- Thomas B. Ferguson Lecture by David Taggart, University of Oxford, on Angioplasty vs Bypass Surgery
- Sidney Levitsky’s Presidential Address
- STS University with hands-on learning and live surgical procedures
- Sold-out Exhibit Hall filled with valuable information on new products and technological breakthroughs
- A fun and memorable Member Social Event at the Chicago Art Institute with great food, Chicago jazz, and Second City!
The weather may be brisk, but warm buses will take you to and from the hotels and the convention center. Plenty of taxis are waiting. Come to Chicago for a great 2006 STS Annual Meeting! Visit www.sts.org
EACTS SEEKING NEW INFORMATION OFFICER
The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) is soliciting proposals for the successor of the present Information Officer, Dr. Paul T. Sergeant of Leuven, Belgium. The post of Information Officer (IO) will be open in conjunction with the meeting in Stockholm, September 2006. The IO shall be appointed for a period of three years and may be re-appointed once. The closing date for receipt of applications is 1 February, 2006.
For further information about the post, directing inquiries to Dr. Sergeant, and mailing address for electronic applications.
EACTS Bergamo School 2006 Course Dates Announced
EACTS announces the 2006 dates for the courses in the European School for Cardio-thoracic Surgery, held in Bergamo, Italy. Also scholarship applications are available. Details here.
Life has just been made easier! Our video library is now cataloged three ways: (1) chronologically - newest at top; (2) by subject area - thoracic, cardiac, and congenital; and (3) alphabetically by title. See Video Index box at top of right gutter on Video page for your selection. View the chronologic listing.
CTSNET LAUNCHES A BLOG FEATURE
What’s a BLOG?
A blog, or weblog, is a personal Web site updated frequently with commentary and links to news items, web sites, other blogs, or anything else you like. New items go on top and older items flow down the page. Blogs can be professional journals or personal diaries that focus on one subject or range across a universe of topics of interest to cardiothoracic surgeons.
CTSNet launches its blogs with postings from Dr. Robert Replogle and Dr. Tom Treasure. Readers are invited to comment on their postings. If you are a frustrated columnist, why not start your own blog on CTSNet? If you are interested in becoming a blogger, contact Tom Ferguson.
Available Blogs:
Access Blogs in the left menu under News and Views. And check frequently – New ones are coming in everyday.
The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) welcomes applications for the Fontan prize. The prize is awarded to a cardiac, cardio-thoracic, or thoracic surgeon with postgraduate training. It is not limited to European citizens. The amount awarded at present is EURO 30,000 and should cover the costs of one year's stay at a major European department or research facility. Deadline for applications is the 15th of April 2006.
CTSNet IMPLEMENTS GOOGLE SEARCH APPLIANCE AS ITS WEB SITE SEARCH ENGINE
CTSNet recently implemented the Google Search Appliance on the Web site. Now when readers enter terms in the search box, the CTSNet version of the Google Search Appliance provides a list of results that integrates the Web content from Participating Organizations, journals, books, and other pertinent sources. This integration enables a reader to stay apprised not only of what's happening within CTSNet Participating Organizations, but to stay at the leading edge of research, information, and opinions in the field through a single search. The current indexed collection of CTSNet content is more than 490,000 pages. The appliance provides many of the best features of the public Google search engine and provides a similar indexing structure, familiar interface, PageRank weighting, cached copies of documents, and conversion of documents into HTML.
New CTSNet Feature
Each scholarly document on CTSNet now has a print capability embedded on the page with the document. This feature has been applied across the entire CTSNet site to make it easier for readers conveniently to obtain a print copy of articles that are of special interest. For example, the latest thoracic expert technique. We hope this is of added help to all readers.
STS SPOUSE POST-GRADUATE COURSE
The STS SPOUSE POST-GRADUATE COURSE will be held Sunday, January 28, 2006 from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm (luncheon included) in conjunction with the Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. The Course will take place at the Chicago Hilton and Towers Hotel.
The topic is "Leading from the Inside Out---Celebrating the Most Important Leadership Skill of All: Emotional Intelligence (EQ)."
Coursemasters are Jamie Dickey, PhD and Ross Ungerleider, MD. They will help teach EQ, mindfulness, and "mindsight" using a combination of exciting lectures, provocative film clips, and other compelling audiovisual enhancements.
Dr. Jamie Dickey has a PhD. in Educational Psychology from the University of Mississippi and a Masters in Social Work from Tulane University. She has spent 25 years as an educator, psychotherapist, organizational consultant, and executive coach. She is the Director of Interdisciplinary Education and is an Executive Coach at Oregon Health & Science University.
Dr. Ross Ungerleider, former Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at Duke University, is currently Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and John C. Hursh Chair of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at Oregon Health & Science University and Doernbecher Children's Hospital.
Please pre-register for the Course now!
Betsey Bradley Urschel
Chair, STS Spouse Post-Graduate Program
The Western Thoracic Surgical Association has a newly designed website. Check it out.
TSFRE - Public Policy Management Course
The Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education (TSFRE) is pleased to announce the availability of scholarships to attend the Leadership Program in Health Policy and Management at the Heller School of Public Policy and Management at Brandeis University, May 29 - June 3, 2006.
This week-long course is an intensive introduction to health care systems theory, health care policy, economics, politics, management, and health care leadership. The course will be taught by a faculty of internationally recognized health policy experts including Stuart Altman, Jon Chilingerian, and Sarita Bhalotra. Details are available online.
TSFRE is prepared to provide up to 14 partial scholarships of $2,500 toward the $4,200 cost of the course. Attendees will be responsible for their own travel and hotel expenses.
If you would like to be considered for a scholarship to attend this outstanding new course please send:
1) Your completed application;
2) Your Curriculum Vitae;
3) A letter describing why want to attend the course;
4) Two letters of recommendation.
Application materials must be received before March 15, 2006, and should be submitted to:
Rebecca Bonsaint
TSFRE
900 Cummings Center, Suite 221-U
Beverly, MA 01915
Telephone: (978) 927-8330
email: rbonsaint@prri.com
EACTS OFFERS VISITING FELLOWSHIP GRANTS
A limited number of fellowships at EUR 3,000 will be granted by EACTS International Co-Operation Committee to enable surgeons at an advanced training stage in cardio-thoracic surgery to visit some leading institution(s) of their choice in Europe.
Is your institute interested in hosting an EACTS stipend?
The Committee is looking for institutions that are willing to accept visiting fellows for the above program. Criteria for accepting EACTS visiting fellows are available.
Marko Turina, MD, Chair
International Co-Operation Committee, EACTS
SIX NEW RESIDENT SYMPOSIUM LECTURES
Six new Resident Symposium Lectures given in March, 2005, and sponsored by St. Jude Medical, have been posted. They are:
“Surgical Treatment of Heart Failure Following Anterior Myocardial Infarction” by CL Anathasuleas, MD, Norway Clinic and Carraway Methodist Medical Center, Birmingham, AL.
"Circulation Management During Great Vessel Surgery" by Joseph E. Bavaria, MD, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
"The Future of Surgery for Atrial Fibrillation" by James L. Cox, MD, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
“The Use of Mechanical Cardiac Valve Prostheses” by Robert W. Emery, MD Cardiac Surgical Associates, St. Paul, MN.
"Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation: State of the Art and Future Directions" by Richard J. Shemin, MD. Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
“Finally, My Residency Is Over: Now What?” by Grayson H. Wheatley III MD. Arizona Heart Institute, Phoenix, AZ.
Read the heart-warming essay by Dr. Robert M. Sade of Charleston, South Carolina entitled "All We Do Not Know."
CASE OF THE MONTH – NECROTIZING ESOPHAGITIS
Doctors Uttam Tripathy, C. Kristian Enestvedt, Christopher B. Komanapalli, and Mithran S. Sukumar of Oregon Health and Science University Portland, OR, present a Clinical Case entitled "Necrotizing Esophagitis: The Black Esophagus."
Please send your "interesting case presentations" to Dr. Vinod Thourani, Editor of the Residents Section.
The December issues of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery (ATS), The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (JTCVS), and the European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery (EJCTS) introduce journal-based continuing medical education (CME) activities in our specialty. Each issue of the American journals will designate 3 articles, 1 in each major subject category (adult cardiac, general thoracic and congenital cardiac) as CME activities. EJCTS will designate 1 CME article per issue and will rotate around the subject categories. Readers interested in earning up to 1 hour of CME credit access the activity by logging into the electronic CME site via links on CTSNet. Directions take the reader to the learning objectives, questions and multiple choice answers, which are designed to engage the learner after he or she has read (and studied) the CME article. When all questions have been answered correctly, the reader can access highlighted passages of the CME article to review the answers in context.
The reader does not complete the CME activity until he or she completes a generic evaluation form. This form, required for CME accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), also asks for suggested topics for future CME activities. When the CME activity is finally completed, the article title and date of the CME activity are recorded in the learner's personal folder, "My CME", and the learner receives instructions for printing a certificate for up to one hour of approved CME credit.
The three societies, CTSNet, and HighWire Press have expended considerable treasure and effort to make CME available to subscribers of the three journals. Time, expense, availability, and relevance limit opportunities for busy cardiothoracic surgeons to earn CME credits. Specialty journal-based CME overcomes these barriers, costs the learner nothing, and is available 24 hours a day. We invite journal subscribers to give it a try.
ATS - L. Henry Edmunds, Jr.
EJCTS - Ludwig von Segesser
JTCVS - Andrew S. Wechsler
ASIAN ANNALS TO INCREASE FROM 4 TO 6 ISSUES PER YEAR
The Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals (AA or Asian Annals) announces the publication of 6 issues per year beginning in 2006. The issues will come out in February, April, June, August, October & December.
DECEMBER JOURNAL ISSUES AVAILABLE ONLINE
The December issues of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals, The European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, and the Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery are now available online.
- The European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery is pleased to announce that their electronic archive is now complete -- right back to Volume 1, Issue 1. Take advantage of this great resource!
- Note that Editorials, Images and Letters are all open access in EJCTS.
- The December issue of Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery (ICVTS) is posted and is completely open-access.
Join the ICVTS discussion in the Interactive Area.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery December 2005 Article for Discussion: Cowan KN et al. “Vacuum-assisted Wound Closure of Deep Sternal Infections in High-risk Patients after Cardiac Surgery.”
Sternal wound infections are a serious complication of cardiac surgery. The general application of negative pressure to wounds by vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy has improved results. In this article, the authors examine specifically the effect of VAC on sternotomy wounds in a cohort of 22 patients.
Sternal wound infections became evident on average at 21.0 days after surgery, associated with dehiscence (82%), sternal instability (59%), fluid collection by computed tomography (73%), and osteomyelitis (41%). Cultures most commonly identified Staphylococcus aureus (50%). VAC therapy was applied following debridement approximately 7.3 days after diagnosis. Vacuum-assisted closure induced granulation of 71% of the sternal wound area by 7 days, with a daily drainage of approximately 84 mL. By 14 days, there was a 54% reduction in wound size, and patients were discharged after approximately 19.5 days and placed on home therapy. Extensive secondary surgical closure, requiring muscle flaps, was avoided in 64% of patients, whereas 28% of patients required no surgical reconstruction for wound closure. No complications were related to VAC use.
The authors concluded that adjunctive VAC therapy markedly reduced the requirement for surgical interventions, reoperation for persistent infections, and the hospitalization period. Is it hype or reality? Is it too good to be true? The experience with VAC for infected sternal wounds, both in adults and children, is accumulating and does appear favorable, whatever the mechanism of action.
Please read the article and add your comments and experience to this Dilemma in Adult Cardiac Surgery in the CTSNet Discussion Forum.
STSA OFFICERS ELECTED
At the recently concluded Annual Meeting in Orlando, a new slate of officers was elected. They are:
President - Ross M. Ungerleider
President-Elect - Carolyn E. Reed
Vice-President - W. Randolph Chitwood, Jr.
Secretary-Treasurer - John H. Calhoon
Secretary-Treasurer Elect - Robert J. Cerfolio
Editor - L. Henry Edmunds, Jr.
Historian - Harold C. Urschel, Jr.
Council Chairman - Irving L. Kron
Past President - D. Glenn Pennington
Councillors at Large:
Kirk R. Kanter
Keith S. Naunheim
Joseph B. Zwischenberger
VESSEL OF LIFE AWARD
The Medical College of Georgia has presented its 2005 Vessel of Life Award to Drs. Robert G. Ellison and Lois T. Ellison.
MCG President Daniel W. Rahn presented the award, which honors professional achievement and contributions to society that enhance MCG’s mission of education, research, and service, at the annual President’s Dinner, Nov. 5.
"It is hard to imagine a couple that has had more impact on the Medical College of Georgia than Drs. Robert G. and Lois T. Ellison," Dr. Rahn said. "Both are MCG School of Medicine alumni. But the Ellisons’ graduation from MCG marked the beginning, not the end, of what would become a lifelong affiliation with the university."
Dr. Robert Ellison, a 1943 graduate, joined the faculty in 1947. He went on to become Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery, retiring in 1987 as Charbonnier Professor Emeritus and Chief Emeritus.
His many contributions included performing Georgia’s first open-heart operation using bypass in 1956, improving modified techniques for cardiothoracic surgery, modifying methods of cardiothoracic surgery training, and improving treatment of esophageal and lung cancer.- January 6, 2006: The WESTERN THORACIC SURGICAL ASSOCIATION, Sun Valley, Idaho
- January 15, 2006: The 24th INTERNATIONAL CARDIOVASCULAR SURGICAL SYMPOSIUM, Zurs/Arlberg, Austria.
- January 25, 2006: THE ASIAN SOCIETY FOR CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY (ASCVS), Osaka, Japan.
- January 31, 2006: THE 13TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE EGYPTIAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY, Cairo, Egypt.
- January 31, 2006: THE 59TH CONGRESS OF THE FRENCH SOCIETY OF THORACIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY, Bordeau, France.
- February 28, 2006: THE 3RD CONGRESS OF THE POLISH SOCIETY OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGEONS, Wroclaw, Poland.
- March 10, 2006: THE WORLD SOCIETY OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGEONS (WSCTS), Ottawa, Canada.
- April 1, 2006: The EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY (EACTS) and the EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF THORACIC SURGEONS (ESTS), Stockholm, Sweden.
- April 8, 2006: SOUTHERN THORACIC SURGICAL ASSOCIATION, Tucson, Arizona
- April 24, 2006: AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CHEST PHYSICIANS, Salt Lake City, Utah.
More meeting abstract deadlines are available.
9th Annual NewEra cardiac care: innovation & technology meeting
The 9th Annual NEWERA CARDIAC CARE: INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY meeting, co-chaired by W. Randolph Chitwood, Jr., MD, and Mehmet C. Oz, MD, will be held January 6-8, 2006, at The Island Hotel Newport Beach (formerly Four Seasons) in Newport Beach, California.
The 42nd Annual Meeting of THE SOCIETY OF THORACIC SURGEONS will be held January 30-February 1, 2006, in Chicago, Illinois. The meeting program and online registration are now available.
SAN DIEGO CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY SYMPOSIUM
The 26th Annual SAN DIEGO CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY SYMPOSIUM, chaired by Julie A. Swain, MD, will be held February 16-19, 2006, at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina in San Diego, California.
GENERAL THORACIC SURGICAL CLUB MEETING
The GENERAL THORACIC SURGICAL CLUB meeting will be held March 9-12, 2006 at the Hilton El Conquistador Hotel in Tucson, Arizona.
SOCIETY OF CARDIOTHORACIC SURGEONS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
THE SOCIETY OF CARDIOTHORACIC SURGEONS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND will be held in Dublin, Ireland March 13-16, 2006. We recommend delegates stay at the CityWest Hotel (Tel: +00353 1 401 0500; email: sales@citywesthotel.com) where we have negotiated a special rate. The scientific and social programme are posted, as well as the online registration.
BRAZILIAN CONGRESS OF CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY
The BRAZILIAN CONGRESS OF CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY will be held in Salvador (Bahia) Brazil, March 29-April 1, 2006. Accepted abstracts will be published in the Brazilian Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery, in Portuguese in the print version and in Portuguese and English in the electronic version. Manuscripts (complete for publication) of the ACCEPTED presentations must be sent to the Society (Rua Beira Rio 45, 7th floor, Săo Paulo, Brazil ZIP 04548-050) by February 15, 2006.
The 86th Annual Meeting of THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THORACIC SURGERY will be held April 29 - May 3, 2006 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA. The scientific program, registration, and housing are now available.
ESCVS 55th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
The 55th International Congress of The EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY will be held May 11-14, 2006 in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. For information, please contact: Prof. Claudio Muneretto, Secretary General - European Society for Cardiovascular Surgery, UDA Cardiochirurgia - Spedali Civili, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123 Brescia, Italy, Phone: + 39 030 3996401; Fax: + 39 030 3996096; Email: munerett@master.cci.unibs.it
PEDIATRIC MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND PEDIATRIC CARDIOPULMONARY PERFUSION
The Second International Conference on PEDIATRIC MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND PEDIATRIC CARDIOPULMONARY PERFUSION will be held May 18-20, 2006 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Questions concerning the conference should be directed to Bonnie J. Bixler, MEd, Director of Special Projects, Penn State College of Medicine Ph: 717-531-6483
TORONTO THORACIC REFRESHER
The 32nd Annual TORONTO THORACIC REFRESHER Course will be held June 2-3, 2006 at the Sutton Place Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Further details to follow. The brochure will be available online in January 2006.
The INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY (ISMICS) will be held June 7-10, 2006, at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. As always, ISMICS is seeking submissions featuring the newest technology and techniques in minimally invasive cardiothoracic, thoracic and vascular surgery. Make your hotel reservations early! San Francisco hotels will be completely full this time of year:
The 32nd Annual Meeting of the Western Thoracic Surgical Association (WTSA) will be held June 21-24, 2006 at the beautiful Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley, Idaho. Abstract submission deadline is January 6, 2006.
SCANDINAVIAN ASSOCIATION FOR THORACIC SURGERY AND SCANSECT
The 55th Annual Meeting of the SCANDINAVIAN ASSOCIATION FOR THORACIC SURGERY and the 26th Annual Meeting of SCANSECT will be held August 16-19, 2006, in Reykjavik, Iceland. Information: Iceland Travel, Conference Department, P.O. Box 8650,IS-128 Reykjavik, Iceland. Phone 354.585.4300, fax 354.585.4390; e-mail: conferences@icelandtravel.is.
The 2006 Meeting of the World Society of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (WSCTS) will be held August 17-20, 2006 at Ottawa Congress Centre, Ottawa, Canada. ABSTRACTS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED. ABSTRACT DEADLINE IS MARCH 10, 2006.
5th ANNUAL EACTS/ESTS JOINT MEETING
The 5th Annual combined meeting of the EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY (EACTS) and the EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF THORACIC SURGEONS (ESTS) will be held September 10-13, 2006 in Stockholm, Sweden. The EACTS-ESTS Techno-College is September 9. Abstracts are due by April 1, 2006.
The 10th Annual HEART LAB WORKSHOP will be held at the Hotel Renaissance in Zurich, Switzerland October 18-22, 2006. For more information:
http://www.heartlab.org
53rd Southern Thoracic Surgical Association Meeting
The 53rd meeting of the SOUTHERN THORACIC SURGICAL ASSOCIATION will be held at the Starr Pass Marriott, Tucson, Arizona, November 9-11, 2006. Abstract deadline: April 8, 2006. For information, contact Nancy Gray Puckett or Jeanne Delaney Lippert
633 North St. Clair, Suite 2320, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 800-685-7872
FAX: 312-202-5801
E-Mail: stsa@stsa.org
EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF EOSPHAGOLOGY (ESE)
The Annual Meeting of the EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF EOSPHAGOLOGY (ESE) will be held November 30-December 2, 2006 in Leuven, Belgium. The abstract deadline is July 1, 2006. Come and learn about the latest progress in esophagology. And enjoy Leuven, city of the oldest University of the Benelux.
CITATION OF CTSNET SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS
We continue to get inquiries about citing articles published on CTSNet, so here is some information that should be useful. If you publish a scholarly paper on CTSNet, you should cite it in your CV. Style manuals and Index Medicus have been haggling about the proper format for several years, principally because, unlike print, net papers can be modified from time to time. Therefore, the citation should include the date of (a) posting or of modification, and/or (b) date of access when quoted as a reference. This assures that the proper iteration of the paper is being cited.
For your reference in your own CV:
Tripathy U, Enestvedt K, Komanapalli CB, Sukumar MS. Necrotizing esophagitis: the black esophagus. Available at CTSNet, Inc. http://www.ctsnet.org/sections/clinicalresources/clinicalcases/article-7.html. Posted 7 November 2005.
For an author quoting your reference in the bibliography of his or her paper:
Tripathy U, Enestvedt K, Komanapalli CB, Sukumar MS. Necrotizing esophagitis: the black esophagus. Available at CTSNet, Inc. http://www.ctsnet.org/sections/clinicalresources/clinicalcases/article-7.html. Posted 7 November 2005. Accessed 30 November 2005.
As time passes, more and more net references will be found in CVs, and they will be considered seriously by promotion committees, just as print articles are now.
MEMBER PHOTOS
We thank all those members who have sent your photos for posting on your home page. It does make such a difference when curious fellow-members can eyeball you. For those who have not yet done so, we urge you to send a photograph soon. We prefer a jpeg file attached to an e-mail, but will accept other types (bitmap, gif). Or simply send us a wallet-sized glossy print to the address below.
We will be registering members and taking photos at the NewEra Cardiac Care 2006: Innovation and Technology Meeting in Newport Beach, California, January 6-8, 2006. If you are attending this meeting, stop by and see us. Also we look forward to seeing many of you at the STS meeting in Chicago, IL (Jan 28-Feb 1, 2006). Please stop by the CTSNet booth #0606-0608. The Managing Editors of ATS, EJCTS, and JTCVS will be in the booth Monday afternoon, January 30th. Come learn about CME!
Thomas B. Ferguson, M.D.
Senior Editor
Carol L. Blasberg
Managing Editor
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