HealthManagement, Volume 14 - Issue 4, 2014

Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology Society of Europe (CIRSE)

Vienna, Austria

www.cirse.org

www.esir.org

@cirsesociety

 

CIRSE’s Annual Meeting, Europe’s premier interventional radiology (IR) congress, attracted over 6,400 delegates from 78 countries this year. The scientific programme again focused on six core themes, but sessions ran parallel for the first time, making it easier for delegates to seamlessly follow the clinical tracks. As always, all tracks – vascular interventions, interventional oncology, transcatheter embolisation, non-vascular interventions, neurointerventions and IR management – featured a variety of session formats, including lectures, discussions and hands-on workshops.

 

Scientific Programme Highlights

This year’s Hot Topic Symposium on Treatment of DVT and PE: paradigmshift?, which brought together leaders in endovascular blood clot treatment to discuss the relevance of newly available techniques, drew the biggest crowd, with 1,275 attending. Another such session offered insights into highintensity focused ultrasound, addressing various aspects of the modality, including whether it may offer benefits beyond those provided by more established treatment options.

 

New EVAR devices and techniques are being developed at a dizzying pace. The Abdominal Aorta Evidence

Forum addressed the most up-to-date research on endovascular aneurysm sealing and iliac sidebranch grafts for aorto-liliac aneurysms, different techniques for pararenal aortic aneurysms, and provided an update on relevant trials. The Thoracic Aorta Evidence Forum focused on the rapidly evolving use of endovascular stent grafts to treat thoracic aortic aneurysms.

 

The Amazing Interventions session, a feature premiered at CIRSE 2013 and a highlight of the event, showcased innovative solutions to a variety of challenging situations. The Controversies series also proved highly popular, with eminent experts debating specific concerns in transcatheter, ablative and embolic care.

 

A broad range of issues, ranging from revascularisation in acute stroke and embolisation in iatrogenic bleeding to back pain treatment, was covered in this year’s Interactive Case Sessions, which aim to help practitioners learn about how to best approach difficult cases and possible complications.

 

Neurointerventions Track

With the further development of devices used for stroke treatment, interventional radiologists play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of stroke, both ischaemic and haemorrhagic. For several years now, the CIRSE meeting has included a dedicated neurointerventions track, providing the most up-to-date information on image-guided stroke therapies.

 

For the first time, studies and trials were a crucial component of the Neurointerventions Track, with a Special Session on Interventional acute stroketreatment: trials update and outlook evaluating both completed and ongoing trials, as well as closely examining patient selection. Placing these in a broader clinical context was guest lecturer Hugh Markus (Cambridge, UK), who delivered the neurologist’s view on the future of acute stroke care and detailed the questions that remain.

 

In order to allow delegates to actively participate in the education programme, an Interactive Case Session Revascularisation in acutestroke: technical problems and solutions was held, allowing audience members to test themselves and learn from their peers. Participants were able to further enhance their knowledge at two Hands-on Workshops and at three case-based discussion workshops. The annual Morbidity and Mortality Conference, held on the last day of the congress, also featured an exciting presentation entitled Is the brain the target organ ofany life-threatening complication duringcarotid stenting?

 

Radiation Protection

The Radiation Protection Pavilion, which made its debut in Glasgow, was a huge success. Prominently located in the Exhibition Hall, the Pavilion offered practical tips and informational material, as well as tailored industry exhibits showcasing relevant products. To raise awareness of the risk of cataracts faced by interventional radiologists, complimentary eye check-ups (vision testing and lens opacity screening) were available for registered members. Available slots were fully booked, with almost 100 members getting their eyes checked.

 

New Technologies

Many new innovations were showcased at the Technical Exhibition, which offered 8,500 m2 of exhibition, learning centre and meeting space. Over 100 industry partners participated, launching a total of 14 new products. A wide variety of Satellite Symposia were held, covering topics such as ablation of liver tumours, drug-eluting technologies, SFA interventions, and liquid embolic systems.

 

Learn More

The comprehensive educational programme of CIRSE 2014 will be repeated and augmented at next year’s congress, to be held in Lisbon, Portugal from September 26-30.

 

Presentations from all tracks, including neurointerventions, are available on the CIRSE educational database, ESIRonline,

www.esir.org.