Page 11 - Journal of Structural Heart Disease Volume 2, Issue 6

Historical Perspectives
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Figure 6. Live broadcast production: behind the scenes at PICS.
of PICS, lectures, round table discussions and debates bring the latest knowledge and understanding to meeting attendees. The topics presented over the years have included basic science and engineering, pathology and pharmacology to interventional out- comes and comparative studies all in an e ort to bring the highest level of scienti c scrutiny and rigor to our understanding of the care of our patients. Our cardiac surgical colleagues have remained an integral component of the faculty of PICS. After all, we depend greatly on one another to achieve success in the treatment of our most complex patients. The eld of congenital cardiac care from its very beginning has always depended on a close and collegial relation- ship with our surgical partners. As the lines have blurred between transcatheter and surgical care and with the explosion of interest and capability in hybrid techniques, this partnership has never been more im- portant to foster and support.
Workshops and symposia have always been a key ingredient of PICS, with thematic programs that take a deep dive into topics of concern and interest to our eld. This year’s 20th Anniversary Symposium is built on the theme “Harnessing Technology for Congenital and Structural Interventions”. Our goal is to both look back at our successes and failures to gain insight, but more importantly to look forward at what the future holds in store. Bioabsorbable technology, tissue engi- neering and new and innovative imaging platforms are included in this year’s program. The annual Doug Villnave Memorial Innovation Session, introduced at
Figure 7. Live broadcast production: behind the scenes at PICS.
the PICS meeting in 2015 will bring focus to the key role innovation plays in the work we do every day.
Dedicated sessions designed for nursing and tech- nologist personnel, indispensable members of the cath lab team, have been an important component of PICS for many years. A dedicated Spanish language session has also been a popular event at PICS bring- ing together our colleagues from Latin America for their own opportunity to learn and interact with one another.
PICS has also sponsored Town Hall Meetings on a regular basis bringing together clinicians and indus- try leaders with the FDA and other regulatory bodies in an e ort to understand and improve the ways we can work together to bring innovations in cardiac care from the bench to the bedside in a more timely and e cient way. Oral and poster abstract presenta- tions have also grown steadily in numbers and quality over the years.
This year PICS received 150 abstract submissions for consideration. The best oral abstracts presented each year are entered in to nal competition and pre- sented at the main session with an award presented to the winning presentation. The opportunity for ear- ly career investigators and clinicians to present their work in a critical but supportive environment among their peers and mentors is without equal. Again this year, abstracts accepted for presentation will appear in the Journal of Structural Heart Disease in advance of the meeting.
Journal of Structural Heart Disease, December 2016
Volume 2, Issue 6:234-240