AATS/STS Cardiothoracic Therapy Critical Care Symposium

Be sure to attend the AATS/STS Cardiothoracic Therapy Critical Care Symposium at this year’s AATS 90^th Annual Meeting. This important symposium will be held on Sunday, May 2^nd from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Residents who pre-register for the course prior to March 27, 2010 qualify for complimentary registration to the symposium along with registration to the Annual Meeting and Saturday courses.

"Critical care is an important component of cardiothoracic surgery” noted Mark S. Allen, MD of the Mayo Clinic. “The American Board of Thoracic Surgery is enhancing its efforts to ensure practicing cardiothoracic surgeons are competent in critical care. The recent examination class was less successful in the category of critical care than desired. A course sponsored by the AATS is an excellent method to improve knowledge of critical care and improve the care we give our patients," Allen concluded, who also serves on the ABTS Board of Directors. The inaugural program is chaired by Nevin M. Katz, MD of the Washington Institute of Thoracic and CV Surgery and Michael S. Mulligan, MD of the University of Washington Medical Center.

Course topics and speakers include:

• Evolution of CTS Critical Care: Systems Based Management, Training and Certification Implications, Nevin M. Katz, MD
• Sedation in the ICU Patient, Brian J. Woodcock, MD
• ECMO Support for the Failing Heart/Lung, Jonathan Haft, MD
• Arrhythmia Management, Ralph Damiano, Jr., MD
• Advanced Ventilator Management (Low Stretch Ventilation and Permissive Hypercapnea), Leonard D. Hudson, MD
• LVAD and Mechanical Support Post-operative Care, Francis D. Pagani, MD
• Lung Transplant Perioperative Care, Michael S. Mulligan, MD
• Optimizing Hemodynamic Support: Are We Aiming for the Right Targets? Post-operative Monitoring/Related Complications, Nevin M. Katz, MD
• Infection Prophylaxis and Prevention, Marin H. Kollef, MD
• Clinical Use of the Artificial Lung, Joseph B. Zwischenberger, MD
• Support for Acute Renal Dysfunction/Failure, Andrew D. Shaw, MD
• Special Considerations for Aortic Surgery, Hybrid Procedures and TEVARs, Joseph E. Bavaria, MD
• Bleeding and Management of Coagulopathy, Jerrold Levy, MD
• Nutritional Support and its Impact, Aaron M. Cheng, MD
• Assessment and Management of Neurologic Complications After Cardiac and Aortic Surgery, Joseph S. Coselli, MD

Additional information is available online at:

• AATS/STS Cardiothoracic Therapy Critical Care Symposium
• AATS Annual Meeting Preliminary Program
• Registration and housing for the AATS Annual Meeting