4 Reasons Not to Miss ‘Advances in Pediatric and Congenital Heart Summit’

For the third year running, world experts in congenital heart disease will gather at Cleveland’s InterContinental Hotel & Conference Center in late September to share clinical insights at Cleveland Clinic’s Advances in Pediatric and Congenital Heart Summit. This year’s CME-certified event, subtitled “Atrial Isomerism — the Road to Survival,” runs from Thursday morning, Sept. 27, through midday Saturday, Sept. 29.

The first day promises benefits for clinicians looking for a general update on congenital heart disease, while the final day and a half is tailored to those desiring an in-depth exploration of the rare defect known as atrial isomerism (heterotaxy syndrome). The overall program offers at least four reasons pediatric and adult cardiologists or cardiac surgeons with an interest in congenital heart disease should consider this a must-attend event.

1) One of the deepest dives ever into atrial isomerism

The event’s Friday and Saturday content explores all aspects of the condition’s natural history and management, including:

• How misaligned cardiac embryological development leads to cardiac manifestations of atrial isomerism/heterotaxy syndrome (the 3D-printed heart model in the photo above was created for surgical planning in a 9-year-old with the condition)
• Current surgical and catheterization lab approaches to venous, valvular and other cardiac lesions in left and right atrial isomerism
• Mechanisms of bradycardias and tachycardias in atrial isomerism
• The impact of noncardiac anomalies on patient outcomes in isomerism

“We’ll focus on how recent advances in 3D modeling, surgical repair and catheter interventions have improved outcomes for patients with atrial isomerism and related congenital heart diseases,” says course co-director Hani Najm, MD, Chair of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery at Cleveland Clinic.

“The presentations will be highly focused explorations of clinical decision-making in the management of atrial isomerism,” adds co-director Elizabeth (Tess) Saarel, MD, Chair of Pediatric Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Children’s. “Sessions range from when and how to intervene, to arrhythmias and outcomes in atrial isomerism, to difficult issues in managing this condition.”

Highlights include two debates on Saturday morning: One on single-ventricle versus biventricular repair in complex isomerism, and another on catheter versus surgical intervention for pulmonary vein stenosis.

2) An efficient update on congenital heart disease

Thursday’s program, subtitled “Updates on Congenital Heart Disease Symposium,” provides updates on various imaging modalities, surgery and transplantation for congenital heart disease, along with updates on the genetics of these disorders. A major session is devoted to the latest guidelines in congenital heart disease, on topics such as adult disease, ventricular arrhythmias and prevention of sudden cardiac death, and sports eligibility. Additional updates are devoted to special issues in congenital heart disease, including device use, pregnancy, aortic disease and more.

The symposium also features the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) Congenital Heart Disease Case, a non-CME activity designed to help clinicians apply the most recent ACC guidelines to practice clinical problem-solving using the case-based Body Interact™ simulation platform.

A separate registration fee for this Thursday symposium allows attendees to choose just this program or omit it if they wish.

3) Specialized workshops

Thursday’s agenda include concurrent workshops on several specialized topics:

• A four-hour echocardiography workshop on imaging modalities in atrial isomerism, featuring live OR transmission using 2D and 3D transesophageal echo
• A four-hour nursing session focused on cardiac critical care nursing in congenital heart disease
• A 90-minute interventional workshop devoted to case-based learning in patients with atrial isomerism
• A 90-minute ECG workshop examining the use of surface 12-lead ECG, telemetry, and ambulatory ECG monitoring in pediatric and congenital heart disease

4) An expert international faculty

More than 40 experts in pediatric and adult cardiology and cardiac surgery will teach and share insights throughout the 2.5-day program, including international specialists from Saudi Arabia and Canada and experts from many top U.S. institutions in addition to Cleveland Clinic.

“We have enlisted a premier faculty of world experts for one of the most in-depth explorations of atrial isomerism to date,” observes Dr. Najm.

For registration and more information, visit ccfcme.org/pediatricheart18. Early-bird rates end August 16.

This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 credit™.