AfricaPCR: the trade show
Message from the course directors: Farrel Hellig, Mpiko Ntsekhe and William Wijns.
Following the overwhelmingly positive delegate feedback from AfricaPCR 2017, the 2018 edition will return to the special city of Cape Town. In putting together, the exciting programme for 2018 we have kept faith with the “by and for” principle and based the design of the course on the requests and requirements expressed by you, our fellow African Interventionists.
Highlights of the program for 2018 include learning sessions on PCI for calcified lesions, a bare bones approach to bifurcation where resources are limited, TAVI and interventions for heart failure. We are also excited about a series of novel and innovative sessions that include echo guidance for cardiac intervention, radiation safety in the Cath Lab and cerebral vascular anatomy, which will serve as a springboard for a stroke session in a future edition. Not to be outdone will be the 'Short Learning' session, which aims to empower the operator in the cath lab with a bundle of important, but infrequently used skills. Examples would be insertion of coils and usage of snares.
Once again, learning and applied sessions will run in a staggered parallel manner allowing attendees to learn and understand their choice of procedures from first principles in the learning session, followed by advanced application in the applied track, which will incorporate live transmissions comprising a mix of structural and coronary cases. In line for 2018 will be paravalvular leak, aortic coarctation, valve in valve therapy, and left atrial appendage occlusion. Live coronary transmissions will include multi-vessel disease, left main bifurcation, calcified coronary lesions.
The reality of a dearth of back up cardiac surgical facilities around the continent has made our sessions on shared experiences of coping with life threatening complications a real hit in previous years and we anticipate that 2018 will not be any different. Last, not least and certainly not to be missed, the highly successful session highlighting the reason why we are so passionate about the important work that we do 'Intervention Makes a Difference' will be back by overwhelming popular demand.
Once again, our industry partners will sponsor sessions tailored to fit into the programme structure and you will have the chance to present your own work in the interactive 'Case Corner Sessions', which will take place in a new type of environment where it will be quiet and intimate to facilitate discussion amongst the attendees. The important 'Stent Save a Life' programme will be back with a dedicated session.
Our Allied professional colleagues will be intimately involved again in both the learning and applied cases, in accordance with our vision of the Cath Lab Team working together in a joint educational initiative.
We have made every effort to bring you a course that represents the evolution of a programme vision into an interesting, engaging programme that meets the diverse needs of our continent, stimulates discussion, interaction and debate, and celebrates our joint vision of improved access to quality cardiovascular care in Africa.