Date(s)
May 9–10, 2024
Location
Peachtree Corners, GA
Area of Practice
Adult Cardiac
Audience
Allied Health
Surgeon
Hands-on team training in robotic mitral valve repair, coronary bypass, and more.

Thank you to all the participants, faculty, exhibitors, supporters, and industry partners who helped make this year's Robotic Cardiac Surgery workshop a great success!
 

Course Description

Gain extensive hands-on procedural experience while performing robotic cardiac surgery procedures in a realistic simulation environment under the guidance of experienced expert surgeons. A state-of-the-art training facility with multiple operating bays fitted with surgical robots will afford a true hands-on experience for every attendee. The course is designed for either new teams desiring to start a robotic cardiac surgery program or early experienced robotic surgeons and teams, including bedside first assistants. Attendees will be exposed to both robotic mitral valve procedures and robotic coronary revascularization. The course consists of one day of hands-on simulation workshop and one day of didactic lectures, case videos, and faculty discussion.

Target Audience

Attendees will be assigned to either foundations or advanced group based on training level, individual experience, and composition of registered participants. Completion of five (5) robotic cases prior to hands-on/in-person training is required.

  • Foundations group: Surgeons and bedside assistants with prior open cardiac surgery experience looking to learn the basics of robotic practice (minimally invasive experience is encouraged but not necessary). Some prior robotic experience required.
  • Advanced group: Surgeons and bedside assistants with prior (could be limited) robotic cardiac surgery experience looking to advance their skills or adding new procedures to their repertoire of their robotic surgical skills.
     

Agenda

Day 1 – Thursday, May 9 - All times are ET
Time Activity
7-7:45 a.m. Registration/Breakfast Symposium
7:45-7:50 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
7:50-8:15 a.m. Description of Lab
Group and Lab Assignments
8:15-9 a.m. Break/Visit Exhibits
Group 1 remains at hotel
Group 2 departs for Intuitive Labs
8:30 a.m.-9:50 a.m.

Group 1: Foundations Coronary Lectures

  • Patient Selection and Preoperative Assessment
    Stephanie L. Mick, MD, New York, NY 
  • Room/Patient Setup and Port Placement
    Dominic A. Emerson, MD, Los Angeles, CA
  • Perfusion Strategy and Myocardial Protection
    Michael Ibrahim, MD, PhD, Philadelphia, PA
  • Role of Beside First Assistant – Single or Dual Surgeon Team
    Eugene A. Grossi, MD, New York, NY
9 a.m.-12 p.m. Group 2 Advanced Coronary Lab
9:50-10:10 a.m. Break / Visit Exhibits
10:10-11:45 a.m.

Group 1: Foundations Coronary Lectures (cont'd.)

  • Mitral Valve Repair – Simple Resection Technique
    Vinay Badhwar, MD, Morgantown, WV
  • Mitral Valve Repair – Simple Neochord Technique
    Arnar Geirsson, MD, New York, NY
  • Troubleshooting an Incomplete Repair and  Complications in Robotic Mitral Valve Surgery: How To Avoid, When To Convert
    Joanna Chikwe, MD, FRCS, Los Angeles, CA
  • Robotic Left-Sided Maze and Appendage LAAL
    Arman Arghami, MD, MPH, Rochester, MN
  • Panel Discussion 
11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Lunch
11:45 a.m.  Break / Lunch / Visit Exhibits
12 p.m. Why Become a Robotic Cardiac Surgeon: History And Future
W. Randolph Chitwood Jr., MD, Greenville, NC
12:30 p.m.  Break / Lunch / Visit Exhibits
12:45-2:05 p.m.

Group 1: Foundations Mitral Lectures

  • Patient Selection/Indication
    Brittany A. Zwischenberger, MD, Durham, NC
  • Pre-Operative Imaging for Robotic CABG
    Bob Kiaii, MD, FRCSC, Sacramento, CA
  • Hybrid Coronary Revascularization
    Amalia A. Jonsson, MD, Atlanta, GA
  • I Just finished my Fellowship: How Do I Become a Robotic Coronary Surgeon?
    Chase R. Brown, MD, Philadelphia, PA
1-4 p.m.  Group 2 Advanced Mitral Lab
2:05-2:25 p.m. Break / Visit Exhibits
2:25-4 p.m.

Group 1: Foundations Mitral Lectures (cont'd.)

  • Progression in Robotic ITA Harvesting
    Gianluca Torregrossa, MD, Wynnewood, PA
  • MIDCAB: Technical Aspects
    Michael E. Halkos, MD, Atlanta, GA
  • Avoiding Complications: When To Convert
    Karen A. Gersch, MD, Gainesville, GA
  • Robotic MIDCAB: My Evolution Over 10 Years
    Danny Ramzy, MD, PhD, Houston, TX
  • Panel Discussion
4 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Break / Visit Exhibits
Group 2 Returns to Hotel
4:30-5:30 p.m.

Groups 1 & 2 Lectures

  • Steps to Building a Successful Program
    Arnar Geirsson, MD, New York, NY
  • What Is the Future of Robotic Cardiac Surgery?
    Vinay Badhwar, MD, Morgantown, WV
  • Panel Discussion
5:30 p.m.-6 p.m. Reception / Visit Exhibits
Day 2 – Friday, May 10 - All times are ET
Time Activity
7-7:45 a.m. Registration / Breakfast / Breakfast Symposium
7:45-8:05 a.m. Review of Day 1 / Schedule Overview
8:05-8:15 a.m. Description of Lab. 
Group and Lab Assignments. 
8:15 a.m. Break / Visit Exhibits
Group 1 Departs for Intuitive Labs
Group 2 Remains at Hotel
8:30-9:50 a.m.

Group 2: Advanced Mitral Lectures

  • Approaching the Mitral Valve – Total Endoscopic
    T. Sloane Guy, MD, MBA, Gainesville, GA
  • Approaching the Mitral Valve – Mini-Thoracotomy
    Serguei Melnitchouk, MD, Boston, MA
  • Complex Mitral Valve Repair
    Douglas A. Murphy, MD, Atlanta, GA 
  • Valve Repair Challenges and Mitigation
    A. Marc Gillinov, MD, Cleveland, OH
9 a.m.-12 p.m. Group 1 Foundations Coronary Lab
9:50-10:10 a.m. Break / Visit Exhibits
10:10-11:45 a.m.

Group 2: Advanced Mitral Lectures (cont'd.)

  • Robotic Mitral Valve Replacement
    Arman Arghami, MD, MPH, Rochester, MN
  • Tips and Tricks (Improving Exposure, Dealing with LAA)
    Philip G. Rowse, MD, Rochester, MN
  • Tricuspid Valve Repair, Simple and Complex
    Joanna Chikwe, MD, FRCS, Los Angeles, CA
  • Moving Beyond the Simple Stuff (AVR, Multivalve Repair, Myectomy)
    Vinay Badhwar, MD, Morgantown, WV
  • Panel discussion
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Lunch / General Lectures 
11:45 a.m. Break / Visit Exhibits / Lunch
12 p.m. Robotic Mitral Repair after Sternotomy
Douglas A. Murphy, MD, Atlanta, GA
12:30 p.m. Break / Lunch / Visit Exhibits
12:45-2:05 p.m.

Group 2: Advanced Coronary Lectures

  • Technical Aspects of BITA Takedown
    Husam H. Balkhy, MD, Chicago, IL
  • Robotic MIDCABG in the Challenging Patient
    Karen A. Gersch, MD, Gainesville, GA 
  • Optimizing Outcomes in Robotic CABG: Best Practices and Innovation
    Bob Kiaii, MD, FRCSC, Sacramento, CA 
  • Robotic On-Pump CABG
    Johannes Bonatti, MD, Pittsburgh, PA
1-4 p.m.  Group 1 Foundations Mitral Lab
2:05-2:25 p.m. Break / Visit Exhibits
2:25-4 p.m.

Group 2: Advanced Coronary Lectures (cont'd.)

  • Multivessel Off-Pump TECAB
    Husam H. Balkhy, MD, Chicago, IL
  • TECAB Without the Endo-Wrist Stabilizer
    Gianluca Torregrossa, MD, Wynnewood, PA
  • Robotic CABG: Training the Next Generation of Surgeons
    Michael E. Halkos, MD, Atlanta, GA
  • Can We Revamp the Hybrid Trial? (2.0)
    John D. Puskas, MD, Atlanta, GA
  • Panel Discussion
4 p.m. End of  Workshop

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Demonstrate the basic skills required to perform robotic cardiac surgery including mitral valve repair and coronary revascularization. 
  • Increase their knowledge base of current evidence and surgical literature related to robotic cardiac surgery.
  • Summarize the different robotic techniques and practice models. 
  • Examine different peripheral perfusion techniques and myocardial protection strategy in robotic cardiac surgery. 
  • Outline the advanced techniques in robotic cardiac surgery including concomitant operation, aortic valve replacement and total endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB). 
  • Interact with experts in the field and become a member of the robotic cardiac surgery community.

Course Directors 

Arnar Geirsson, MD, New York, NY 
Arman Arghami, MD, MPH, Rochester, MN 
Husam H. Balkhy, MD, Chicago, IL 
Joanna Chikwe, MD, FRCS, Los Angeles, CA 
Gianluca Torregrossa, MD, Wynnewood, PA
 

Disclosures

Course Director, Faculty and STS Staff Disclosure Information

Unless otherwise noted, the individuals below have had no commercial relationships with ineligible companies in the past 24 months. All commercial relationships have been mitigated. (current as of April 16, 2024)

Course Directors

  • Arnar Geirsson, MD
    Columbia University
    Commercial Relationships: Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic – Consultant/Advisory Board
  • Arman Arghami, MD, MPH
    Mayo Clinic
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Husam Balkhy, MD
    University of Chicago
    Commercial Relationships: Intuitive – Proctor, Edwards Lifesciences – Consultant/Advisory Board 
  • Joanna Chikwe, MD, FRCS
    Cedars Sinai
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Gianluca Torregrossa, MD
    Main Line Health – Lankenau Heart Institute
    Commercial Relationships: Peters Surgical, Medtronic – Speakers Bureau/Honoraria
     

Faculty

  • Johannes Bonatti, MD
    UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Danny Ramzy, MD, PhD
    UT Health
    Commercial Relationships: Intuitive – Proctor, Abiomed, Speakers Bureau/Honoraria
  • Bob Kiaii, MD
    UC Davis Medical Center
    Commercial Relationships: Johnson and Johnson, Medtronic, Corcym – Speakers Bureau/Honoraria
  • Chase Brown, MD
    University of Pennsylvania
    Commercial Relationships: Abbott – Speakers Bureau
  • Brittany Zwischenberger, MD, MHSc
    Duke University
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Vinay Badhwar, MD
    West Virginia University
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Randolph Chitwood, MD
    East Carolina Heart Institute / East Carolina University
    Commercial Relationships: Neochord, Medtronic – Consultant/Advisory Board
  • Stephanie Mick, MD
    New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell 
    Commercial Relationships: Medtronic, Artivion, Johnson and Johnson – Consultant/Advisory Board, AtriCure – Proctor
  • Dominic Emerson, MD
    Cedars Sinai
    Commercial Relationships: Abiomed – Speakers Bureau/Honoraria
  • Philip Rowse, MD
    Mayo Clinic
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • A. Marc Gillinov, MD
    The Cleveland Clinic
    Commercial Relationships: Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic, Artivion, Abbott, Johnson and Johnson, AtriCure, ClearFlow – Consultant/Advisory Board
  • Michael Ibrahim, MBBS, PhD
    University of Pennsylvania
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Eugene Grossi, MD
    NYU-Langone Medical Center
    Commercial Relationships: Medtronic, Edwards Lifesciences – Consultant/Advisory Board
  • Serguei Melnitchouk, MD
    Massachusetts General Hospital
    Commercial Relationships: Medtronic – Consultant/Advisory Board
  • Irsa Hasan, MD
    Cedars Sinai
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Michael Halkos, MD
    Emory University
    Commercial Relationships: Medtronic – Consultant/Advisory Board, Speakers Bureau/Honoraria
  • Amalia Jonsson, MD
    Emory University
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Syed Faaz Ashraf, MD, MPH
    UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Douglas Murphy, MD
    Emory University
    Commercial Relationships: Intuitive Surgical, EnhanceCV/Edwards Lifesciences – Speakers Bureau/Honoraria
  • T. Sloane Guy, MD, MBA
    Northeast Georgia Health System
    Commercial Relationships: Edwards Lifesciences – Consultant/Advisory Board
  • John Puskas, MD, MSc
    Emory University
    Commercial Relationships: Medtronic, Atricure, Artivion – Consultant/Advisory Board
  • Michael Lalonde, PA-C
    Columbia University
    Commercial Relationships: Edwards Lifesciences – Consultant/Advisory Board
  • Amanda Yakobitis, PA-C
    Main Line Health – Lankenau Heart Institute
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Peter Carnegie
    Minimally Invasive Solutions
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
     

STS Staff

  • Anne McBarron 
    The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Meredith Herzog
    The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Scott Bradbury
    The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Elisa Robles-Gnet
    The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose
  • Melisa Puthenmadom
    The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
    Commercial Relationships: Nothing to Disclose

 

STS/TSF Advanced Robotic Cardiac Surgery Fellowship

The Thoracic Surgery Foundation (the charitable arm of STS) offers a $25,000 advanced fellowship opportunity to a surgeon and their institution to support and facilitate the initiation of a high quality robotic cardiac surgery program at their home institution. Applicants must attend the 2024 STS Workshop on Robotic Cardiac Surgery, meet specific requirements confirming institutional support and resources, and have experience performing mitral valve repair and replacement. Learn more. 
 

Cancelations 

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons will issue a refund, minus a $100 administrative fee, for all cancelations received in writing to the Meetings Department by Thursday, April 25, 2024. No refunds will be issued after this date.
 

Exhibitors

View the Exhibitor Prospectus. 
 

Accreditation Statement

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons designates this live activity for a maximum of 13.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Physician Assistants (PAs) may claim AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for completing this activity. 
 

Ethical MedTech Compliance

This workshop has been assessed by Ethical MedTech and is COMPLIANT with the MedTech Europe Code of Ethical Business Practice.