Industry related Surgeons, Interventionists, Nurses, Sonographers,
Cardiologists, Radiographers, Phlebologists and Trainees
Vascular Interventions 2010 will be held on 5-6 March 2010
International Guest Confirmed
Andrej Schmidt - Sponsored by Biotronik.
http://www.vi2010.com/guest-andrej-schmidt/
Crowne Plaza Hotel TERRIGAL PINE TREE LANE. TERRIGAL, 2260 AUSTRALIA
Dates are 5-6 March 2010, Pre-Conference Workshop day before.
Live transmissions will be conducted from Lake Macquarie Private Hospital
For further information or to Register Online go to
Vascular Interventions 2010 will be held at Terrigal on the NSW Central Coast,the jewel
of the Pacific and, of course,where the author was born. Terrigal enjoys a national and
even international reputation as a non over-commercialized historical beach resort.
The current Vascular Intervention series began in 2007 at the instigation of my
co-convener, Alan Bray and is supported by a great team at Lake Macquarie Private
Hospital including Enid Scott and Beverley Beeton together with the Design & IT expertise
of Andrew Carraro. I am pleased to say that this team will again form the nucleus of V.I.
2010 which will take place on Friday March 5 and Saturday March 6 with a
pre-conference Workshop sponsored by Abbott (platinum) on Thursday March 4.
The VI series aim to be audience interactive where “all men are equal” (with only the
women being held superior). The aim is to highlight “what is changing and what is new”
in endovascular techniques using the real-time atmosphere of live demonstrations. Live
cases will be beamed from Lake Mcquarie Private Hospital to Terrigal from three catheter
procedure rooms working simultaneously to ensure dynamic presentations of common
vascular problems. For the first time an international celebrity, Andrej Schmidt from The
Heart Hospital, Leipzig, will complement our local artists in the labs, on the panel and
in the audience. Andrej has to be seen to be believed! A veritable one act maestro in the
cath lab and an innovator of new techniques to boot. We will see how he compares with
the masters of Andrew Holden, Bill Clark and Michael Denton.
While I believe this format is an excellent and enjoyable form of continuing education
there are some clouds on the horizon. Live case demonstrations have had some ethical
criticisms in certain scenarios and while the V.I. series has not been the subject of such
criticism these matters together with surgeonsʼ interaction with trade are the subject of
increasing scrutiny and are being considered by the Royal Australasian College of
Surgeons(RACS). We are therefore fortunate to have the President of The Australian and
New Zealand Society for Vascular Surgery, Michael Grigg, to join us. Michael is also a
College Councilor and has written a code for surgeonsʼ interaction with trade for the
RACS. Michael will serve on the panel and will also address us regarding the trade and
live case issues. He will also bring us up to date with the venous laser item number issue
from an RACS perspective.
Because there has been considerable debate over laser and RF ablation of varicose veins,
VI 2010 will devote a significant portion of Saturday to endovenous therapy with Mark
Malouf, President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Phlebology and Kurosh
Parsi, President of the Australasian College of Phlebology and co-opted guests. Live case
laser /RF demonstrations will be the highlight of Saturday afternoon.
Bernie Bourke Co - Convener