Thoracic Robotics 1: Where do we stand in 2025?

The course is designed to provide the cardiothoracic surgeon in training with didactic teaching and hands on cadaveric surgical training experience under the guidance of a faculty of experienced surgeons. Candidates will also implant left ventricular assist devices, practice cannulation for ECMO and gain practical experience of ex vivo lung perfusion.
  • 25 – 26 Feb 2025
  • Windsor, UK
  • In Person

Event Information

  • Date/Duration

    25 February – 26 February 2025 (2 day course)

  • Location

    Windsor, UK

  • Course Director

    S Clark, Newcastle upon Tyne

  • Course Format

    In-person meeting
    Interactive lectures
    Interactive device and technology demonstrations
    Hands-on cadaveric operative sessions

  • Course Fee

    EACTS Member: €TBC
    Non-Member: €TBC

    Fee includes lunch, refreshments and a dinner on Thursday 12 September.

    Kindly note due to the nature of this course, registration is limited to 15 delegates

  • Target Audience

    Skills Level 2 – Residents in the final years of training and surgeons at the beginning of independent practice.

    EACTS Academy terms and conditions.

Course Information

This course provides cardiothoracic surgeons in training or anyone wishing to enhance their experience with didactic teaching, hands on cadaveric operative experience and practical demonstrations in the surgical techniques and skills needed in heart and lung transplantation, short term and durable mechanical assist devices and ex vivo organ perfusion.

Delegates will have the opportunity to undertake cardiac and lung transplantation in human cadavers under the guidance of a faculty of experienced surgeons. Candidates will also implant left ventricular assist devices, practice cannulation for ECMO and Impella and gain practical experience of ex vivo lung perfusion. Many technologies and devices are also demonstrated in small group teaching sessions.

This is an intensive two day course of lectures, debate and practical hands on surgical practice and opportunity.

Learning Objectives

  • Understanding of selection of patients for heart and lung transplantation, technical aspects of the surgery and clinical outcomes
  • Donor organ selection criteria and retrieval including the use of machine perfusion systems
  • Understanding the application of short term mechanical circulatory support and hands on practice of implantation of devices such as ECMO and Impella
  • Understanding the role of durable mechanical assist devices and practice of implantation of devices in human cadavers
  • Practicing the technique of heart and lung transplantation in human cadavers
  • Practicing the technique of ex vivo lung perfusion

TUESDAY 12 DECEMBER
 HEART TRANSPLANTATION AND MECHANICAL ASSIST 
08:15Welcome and introductionS Clark, Newcastle
08:25Recipient selection and outcomes of cardiac transplantationA McDiarmid, Newcastle
08:40Donor organ evaluation and retrievalT Butt, Newcastle
09:10Machine Perfusion for heart preservationC Amarelli, Naples
09:50Technical aspects of cardiac transplantationE Khoshbin, London
10:10Break 
10:30Cadaver lab- Cardiac Transplantation 
12:45Lunch 
13:15Durable ventricular assist devices – An overviewC Amarelli, Naples
13:35Technical aspects of LVAD implantationA Shah, Newcastle
14:00Cadaver lab- LVAD and RVAD implantation and Demonstration of devices 
15:15Break 
15:30Cadaver lab- LVAD and RVAD implantation and Demonstration of devices 
16:45Short term mechanical assist – Indications and devices (Demonstration of devices)G Färber, Jena
17:45Summary and closing commentsS Clark, Newcastle
TUESDAY 12 DECEMBER
 LUNG TRANSPLANTATION, ECMO AND EX VIVO PERFUSION 
08:30ECMO (Demonstration of circuit)C Gollmann-Tepeköylü, Innsbruck
09:30Cadaver lab- ECMO and short-term mechanical assist cannulation and implantation 
10:30Break 
10:45Recipient selection and outcomes for lung transplantationJ Lordan, Newcastle
11:10Technical aspects of single and bilateral lung transplantationD Van Raemdonck, Leuven
11:40The multidisciplinary transplant assessment meetingE Khoshbin, London; G Meachery, Newcastle; V Dronavalli, Newcastle
12:30Lunch 
13:00Cadaver lab- Lung transplantation 
15:30Break 
15:45Ex vivo lung perfusionI Mydin, Newcastle
16:00EVLP Demonstration 1 
16:45Question and answer session 
17:15EVLP Demonstration 2 
17:30Closing comments and questions