Newswise — Interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons from throughout the United States, North and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia will gather at Columbus Children's Hospital from June 28-30, 2006, for the inaugural International Symposium on the Hybrid Approach to Congenital Heart Disease (ISHAC). This conference is the first of its kind dedicated to exploring advancements in "Hybrid" management strategies which combine surgical and transcatheter therapies in order to minimize the cumulative impact of treatment for complex congenital heart disease (CHD). In the United States alone, more than 40,000 babies are born with some form of CHD with many requiring high risk surgical procedures.
During Hybrid procedures, cardiothoracic surgeons and interventional cardiologists work collaboratively to correct defects in the heart, often with the use of stents and devices delivered through limited surgical access. Columbus Children's Hospital is considered a benchmark institution in this area where two uniquely designed Hybrid Cardiac Catheterization Suites were opened in June, 2004 "¦ the first in the world dedicated to this new therapy.
The two-day Symposium will feature lectures and panel discussions from international pioneers in the field, as well as live case demonstrations broadcast from Miami Children's Hospital, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital and the Hybrid Suites at Columbus Children's Heart Center. A special hands-on workshop will be offered to a limited number of participants on the third day.
Symposium directors are John P. Cheatham, MD, Director of Cardiac Catheterization and Interventional Therapy at Columbus Children's Heart Center, and Mark Galantowicz, MD, Co-Director of The Heart Center and Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Children's. Both are faculty members of The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Drs. Cheatham and Galantowicz have organized this world-class event to encourage international discussion for potential Hybrid cardiac procedures that will result in improved outcomes while decreasing risks. The target audience consists of not only surgeons and interventional cardiologists, but also other members of heart centers who help care for children and adults with CHD.
The Heart Center at Columbus Children's Hospital is a regional, national and international referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of all forms of CHD and acquired cardiomyopathy in both pediatric and adult patients. After opening the unique Hybrid Suites in 2004, a prototype 5 axis positioner and biplane flat panel detectors from Toshiba Medical Systems were installed in July 2005. Unparalleled patient access, cardiac imaging, and telemedicine capabilities are now possible. Visitors from around the world visit the Hybrid Suites in order to construct similar facilities at their own institutions.
ISHAC Symposium has received financial support from Toshiba Medical Systems, AGA Medical Corporation, Stryker, Cook, Medtronic, Gore, NuMED, Inc., Cordis Corporation, Heartlab and B.Braun Medical, Inc. More information on ISHAC is available on the web at http://www.hybridsymposium.com.
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