The Aortic Forum

The Aortic Forum

The 3rd EACTS Aortic Forum will take place 18-20 June 2025 in the beautiful city of Prague, bringing together the most important and influential voices in the field of aortic surgery for three days of education, discussion and networking.

18 – 20 Jun 2025
Prague, Czech Republic
In Person

Event Information

Date/Duration

18-20 June 2025 (2.5 days)
Location

Prague, Czech Republic
See HERE for more information
Aortic Forum Taskforce Chair

R de Paulis, Rome
Local Chairmen

J Vojáček, Hradec Králove; I Netuka, Prague
Forum Format

In-person meeting
Interactive lectures
Live surgical cases
Keynote presentations
Live-in-a-box videos
Abstract presentations
Forum Fee

Members: €645
Non-Members: €745
Residents: €375
Aortic Forum Scholarship

Please note, applications for the Aortic Forum Scholarship are now closed.
Target Audience

All cardiac and vascular surgeons, cardiologists, radiologists and anaesthetists are invited to come together and broaden their competence and enjoy learning new skills in the field of major aortic surgery.
Abstract Submission

Abstract submissions are now closed.
ACCREDITATION

This course is Ethical MedTech compliant and full details can be found HERE.

The Aortic Forum, Prague, Czech Republic 18/06/2025 – 20/06/2025 , has been accredited by the European Accreditation
Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®) with 15.0 European CME credits (ECMEC®s). Each medical specialist
should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

EACTS Academy terms and conditions.

REGISTRATION

iNDUSTRY

Forum overview

The comprehensive programme includes live surgery broadcasts with commentary from the most renowned experts in their respective field, interactive lectures and lively debates.

With a focus on the current controversies for the best treatment of each individual aortic pathology, sessions include a special focus on the latest advances in aortic valve repair and in the Ross operation. Pathology of the ascending aorta and arch, whether in its acute or chronic forms, will be presented and discussed according to the different treatment options by means of novel surgical, or transcatheter devices. The treatment of thoraco-abdominal pathologies will be focused on, the latest solution for transcatheter approach and novel possibilities of minimising the surgical trauma.

Aortic Forum Taskforce

R de Paulis; I Netuka; J Vojacek; J Bavaria; F Casselman; M Czerny; L de Kerchove; G El Khoury; T Holubec; K Kim; T MacGillivray; P Myers; A Oo; D Pacini; S Ronchey; R Sádaba; HJ Schäfers; F Schoenhoff; M Shrestha

08:30	Session 3: Special situations in aortic root surgery – Video session
	Moderators: M Ouzounian, Toronto; G El Khoury, Brussels
	Valve sparing aortic root replacement in acute aortic dissection M Borger, Leipzig
	Minimally invasive aortic valve-sparing and repair T Holubec, Frankfurt
	PEARS in aortic root surgery F Rega, Leuven
	Aortic valve repair using internal geometric ring annuloplasty M Jasinski, Wroclaw
	VSARR in South America C Villa, Bogotá
	Aortic annulus/root enlargement B Yang, Ann Arbor
	Abstract
	Live surgery 2: Ross procedure J Vojacek, Hradec Kralove; I Netuka, Prague
10:40	Break
11:10	Session 4: Solving problems in aortic dissection
	Moderators: D Pacini, Bologna; K-H Park, Seongnam
	Aortic dissection – my top 5 recommendations in the EACTS/STS 2023 guidelines and how they change practice F Schoenhoff, Bern
	How to cannulate for type A dissection with malperfusion A Martens, Oldenburg
	Debate: Visceral malperfusion strategy
	– Endovascular repair first K Tsagakis, Cologne
	– Proximal open first K Minatoya, Kyoto
	– Discussion and rebuttal
	Abstracts
	Live surgery 3: Minimally invasive aortic arch repair in zone 0 with FET technique T Holubec, Frankfurt
13:10	Lunch
14:10	Session 5: Controversies and solutions in acute type A dissection
	Moderators: J Bavaria, Philadelphia; A Lopez-Marco, London
	Root preservation, Bentall or VSARR – scoop and run or stay and play? L Di Marco, Bologna
	Abstract
	Debate: Type A in the Arch: Too many devices, which option for which patient?
	– Do a FET and be done forever M Shrestha, Rochester
	– AMDS – poor man’s total arch replacement? J Kempfert, Berlin
	– Open zone 2 and TEVAR – best of both worlds? N Desai, Philadelphia
	– Why do a sternotomy? Endovascular arch repair in type A (video) J Bavaria, Philadelphia
	– Discussion and rebuttal
15:25	Break
15:55	Session 6: Dealing with the arch
	Moderators: R Sádaba, Pamplona; F Schoenhoff, Bern
	Debate: “Ideal temperature for the arch surgery” Normothermia vs deep hypothermia
	– Normothermia M Di Eusanio, Ancona
	– Deep hypothermia with SACP M Grabenwöger, Vienna
	– Discussion and rebuttal
	‘Branch first concepts’: Various techniques and outcomes A Oo, London
	Techniques to simplify the supra-aortic vessel anastomoses in total aortic arch surgery M Shrestha, Rochester
	Abstracts
16:55	Close

08:30	Session 7: Arch session II
	Moderators: M Czerny, Freiburg; T MacGillivray, Washington
	Honorary lecture – Elephant trunk to frozen elephant trunk technique: Tribute to Hans Borst A Haverich, Hannover
	Sex differences in thoracic aortic disease (aneurysms and dissections) T Coutinho, Rochester
	Aortic arch replacement in Asian populations K H Park, Seongnam
	How to treat FET graft infection K Tsagakis, Cologne
	Artificial intelligence in cardiovascular medicine G Kostiuchik, Heidelberg
	Abstracts
	Live-in-a-box video: Total endo arch M Czerny, Freiburg
10:45	Break
11:15	Session 8: Transcatheter aortic arch treatment – the exceptional portfolio of options
	Moderators: S Ronchey, Rome; M Lescan, Freiburg
	The branched total arch approach L Bertoglio, Brescia
	The fenestrated total arch approach To be announced
	The physician modified endograft approach (PMEG) L Canaud, Montpellier
	Single or duo endo arch repair R Heijmen, Nijmegen
	Single branch endovascular arch: Multicentre trial J Bavaria, Philadelphia
	Abstract
12:15	Lunch
13:15	Session 9: Transcatheter treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic pathology – from alternative to routine
	Moderators: M Czerny, Freiburg; L Bertoglio, Brescia
	Neuroprotection and monitoring in complex thoracoabdominal endovascular repair A Kahlberg, Milan
	fEVAR for complex TA pathology- what is there and how to choose among the options S Fernandez, Pamplona
	bEVAR for complex TA pathology- doing the right things in the right patients M Lescan, Freiburg
	Graft degeneration research- the messages have to be heard N Chakfe, Strasbourg
	Debate: Treatment of TAAA in HTAD patients
	– Open TAAA is more durable! M Ouzounian, Toronto
	– Endo TAAA is much safer! G Piffaretti, Varese
	– Discussion and rebuttal
14:25	Break
14:55	Session 10: The unseen struggles: Aortic surgery failures exposed
	Moderators: P Myers, Geneva; R de Paulis, Rome
	Open TAAA M Czerny, Freiburg
	Open Arch A Martens, Oldenburg
	Valve sparing R de Paulis, Rome
	Endo Arch M Lescan, Freiburg
	Dissection I M Grabenwöger, Vienna
	Dissection II T MacGillivray, Washington
	Ross J Vojacek, Hradec Kralove
15:55	Closing remarks and awards R de Paulis, Rome; P Myers, Geneva
16:15	Close

13:00	Introduction R De Paulis, Rome; P Myers, Geneva
13:15	Session 1: Aortic valve repair
	Moderators: F Casselman, Aalst; I Netuka, Prague
	Critical comparison and limitation of VSARR R de Paulis, Rome
	What residual AR can we tolerate and when to reclamp? I Rudez, Zagreb
	Essential technique and difficult lesions including videos:
	– Deep aortic root dissection for VSRR or Ross procedure J Vojacek, Hradec Kralove
	– Repair of tricuspid aortic valve H J Schäfers, Kaiserslautern
	– How to deal with cusp fenestrations H J Schäfers, Kaiserslautern
	– Repair of asymmetric BAV L de Kerchove, Brussels
	– Repair of very asymmetric BAV E Lansac, Paris
	Live surgery 1: Minimally invasive VSARR – David procedure T Holubec, Frankfurt
15:30	Break
16:00	Session 2 – The Ross procedure
	Moderators: L de Kerchove, Brussels; K Kim, Austin
	Survival and the quality of life after Ross procedure: Do we have enough evidence? I El-Hamamsy, New York
	How to implement the Ross procedure into routine practice M Ouzounian, Toronto
	Harvesting and alternatives to pulmonary homograft in the Ross procedure H J Schäfers, Kaiserslautern
	Neonatal Ross procedure – strategies and outcomes To be announced
	Live-in-a-box videos: The Ross procedure: Different surgical options
	– How I do the Ross operation: Freestanding root J Vojacek, Hradec Kralove
	– How I do the Ross operation: Inclusion into the Dacron graft G El Khoury, Brussels
	– How I do the Ross operation: Inclusion into the PEARS P Fila, Brno
	Abstracts
17:30	Welcome reception
19:00	Close

The Aortic Forum

Event Information

Forum overview

Aortic Forum Taskforce

Forum programme

Wednesday 18 June

Thursday 19 June

Friday 20 June

Programme and faculty subject to change.

Taskforce

Ruggero De Paulis

Ivan Netuka

Jan Vojacek

Joseph Bavaria

Filip Casselman

Martin Czerny

Laurent de Kerchove

Gebrine El Khoury

Tomas Holubec

Patrick Myers

Aung Oo

Davide Pacini

Kay-Hyun Park

Sonia Ronchey

Rafael Sádaba

Hans-Joachim Schäfers

Florian Schoenhoff

Malakh Shrestha