EDUCATION Global perspectives take center stage in second annual WFVS session at VAM

“The intellectual exchange of information and a better understanding of unique global perspectives has brought the leading societies closer,” Palma Shaw, MD, MBA, secretary general of the World Federation of Vascular Societies (WFVS) says of the success of this international organization ahead of its second annual Educational Session to be held at VAM, due to take place this morning (6:30–7:30 a.m.) in Maryland

A. By Jocelyn Hudson

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH VS@VAM AHEAD OF THE session, Shaw, of Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, states that the key role of the WFVS is to “help form a bridge” between its various partner societies from across the globe. The organization’s goals, she continues, include “fostering international scientific discourse for the purpose of the understanding of vascular disease” and “shar- ing knowledge in the development of effective therapies and interventions to treat vascular disease and strategies for training vascular specialists” for the benefit of vascular patients worldwide.

The VAM audience will hear from representatives of all member societies. On behalf of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), Wei Zhou, MD, of the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, is due to speak on tailoring carotid endarterectomy (CEA), transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) and transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TF-CAS) to improve clinical and cognitive outcomes.

“Although multiple randomized controlled trials and the most recent SVS carotid guideline endorse CEA over medical therapy in patients with carotid artery stenosis,” she tells this newspaper, “studies have shown that aggressive risk factor modification is just as effective in stroke prevention in asymptomatic patients.” Meanwhile, she notes that there has been a rapid increase in TCAR adoption in the US, and that TF-CAS continues to be widely accepted with stent innovation.

Speaking on behalf of the Latin American Association for Vascular Surgery (ALCVA), Nelson De Luccia, MD, of the University of Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil, will focus on the topic of hybrid operations for aortic arch aneurysms. He describes this treatment option to VS@VAM as a “less invasive and effective solution” for many patients with aortic arch aneurysms at a time when total endovascular solutions are not yet available on a regular basis.

Mark J. Jackson, MD, MBBS, of Gold Coast Hospital in Southport, Australia, will be giving a presentation on behalf of the Australia and New Zealand Society for Vascular Surgery (ANZSVS) looking at challenges for the provision of vascular surgical services in remote Australia.

“The ANZSVS has proposed a model for a more reliable and sustainable vascular service in Australia’s remote regions,” he shares in an interview prior to VAM. However, he notes multiple jurisdictions and organizational barriers make this a “challenging” task.

On behalf of the Asian Society for Vascular Surgery (ASVS), Stephen W. K. Cheng, MBBS, MS, of the Univer- sity of Hong Kong will give some insights from endovascular repair of the arch using custom-branched endografts. “Endovascular treatment of diseases of the arch, like aneurysms, dissections, and infections, had been the pinnacle of challenge in vascular surgery,” he says. “The WFVS session will be a good opportunity to showcase our results and share tips and tricks specific to pathology and anatomy of this region.”

Venous Forum, International Union of Angiology, World Federation of Vascular Societies, Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, among others. His name is included in 501 peer-reviewed publications, he has authored or co-authored 250 book chapters and eight textbooks, and he has 26,874 citations to his name, plus he has just received an honorary doctorate title at the University of Padua, Italy—the list could continue.

Elsewhere in the session, Philippe H. Kolh, MD, PhD, of the University of Liege in Liege, Belgium—who is current president of the WFVS—will be speaking on behalf of the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS). VAM delegates will also hear from Nihar Pradhan, MBBS, MS, of Apollo Health City in Hyderabad, India, representing the Vascular Society of India (VSI); Takahiro Suzuki, MD, of the University of Miami in Miami, Florida, representing the Japanese Society for Vascular Surgery (JSVS); and Asha Malan, MD, of the Universitas Academic Hospital in Bloemfontein, South Africa, representing the Vascular Society of Southern Africa (VASSA).

Reflecting On The Positives

and negatives of retirement, Peter Gloviczki, MD, from the Mayo Clinic, previously in Rochester, Minnesota, now in Scotlssdale, Arizona, and editor-inchief emeritus of the Journal of Vascular Surgery (JVS) is set to regale attendees of his “Lessons learned: What I wish I would have known before I retired” as part of the Transition to Retirement session taking place today from 12:52–12:58 p.m., Ballroom Level, National Harbor 4/5.

The annals of Gloviczki’s clinical practice show a brimming career spanning all areas of vascular surgery— arterial, venous and lymphatic—while having performed over 10,000 surgeries throughout his time with Mayo Clinic. He stood as the past president of the Society for Vascular Surgery, American

Gloviczki’s presentation details his life after retirement, denoting areas of major change in areas such as professional activities, personal life, healthcare, income and residency, describing the tectonic shifts these can bring for a physician accustomed to the busy fluctuations of healthcare.

Placing emphasis on loss, he describes the lack of access to clinical and patient data, and isolation from a team, be it surgical or research. He adds that retirement means a certain detachment from your previous institution, asserting that “emeritus status is not equivalent to being a full member of an institution”.

Looking at the glass half-full however, he pauses on the positive changes that occur in your personal life after retirement. Extending a new lease of agency, Gloviczki portends that getting up when you would like and being home for lunch top the list for retirement bliss: “Your home is your castle, cafeteria, lounge, call-room and office.” Although, he ambiguously warns that being home much more may affect relationships with family members, leaving plausible room for the VAM 2023 audiences’ individual interpretation.

Customary to many who have retired from lengthy careers in healthcare, Gloviczki describes the procedures, patients, daily team interactions and the distancing from community that is felt. He does, however, caveat this with a reminder that there is “more work inside your house than [one] could have ever imagined” and weight can be latter perhaps being dependent on the former.

More light-hearted discussions aside, Gloviczki brings awareness to the difficult questions that retirement can pose. What health, dental and eye-glass insurance should you buy? Should you take a lumpsum or monthly installments? What is the best time to start receiving Social Security? These are all among the dilemmas faced by retirees, and as Gloviczki notes with inflation rising and individual retirement account (IRA) decreases of more than 10%, making confident decisions can be a minefield.

Tailoring his final remarks to his personal experience, Gloviczki details the tribulations he experienced changing residence during retirement. Working full-time in a hospital did not prepare him for the “freezing cold” Minnesota, nor did his prolific involvement in vascular surgery prepare him for “how long it takes to dig a swimming pool” after his definitive retirement and subsequent move to Arizona. He adds that to top off the resounding joy that is retirement, “not all animals will make you feel less lonely” throughout—Arizona being home to a generous swath of scorpions and rattlesnakes.—Éva Malpass

Sponsored events cover vasculature, practice matters

Each year, companies sponsor several presentations at VAM, including breakfast sessions, evening symposia and Vascular Live presentations.

These sessions are not eligible for Continuing Medical Education credits. This year’s presentations include:

EVENING INDUSTRY SYMPOSIA 5:15–6:30 p.m. Wednesday

Session 1, Sponsored by W.L. Gore & Associates

Location: Potomac 1–3

Vascular Fellows: Preparing for Practice

Speakers/moderators: An experienced physician panel will populate the session

Session 2, Sponsored by 3M

Location: Potomac D

Reducing Surgical Site Complications: Innovative Techniques and Technologies

Speaker: Ellen Dillavou, MD

BREAKFAST SESSIONS 6:45–8 a.m. Thursday

B1: BEST-CLI, BASIL-2 and Data from Modern DrugEluting Technologies: What Conclusions Can We Draw?

Sponsored by Boston Scientific

B2: Translating the IVUS Expert Consensus to Real World Procedural Use, Sponsored by Philips

B3: Clinical Insights in PAD: Reducing the Risk of Major

Thrombotic Vascular Events, Sponsored by Janssen Pharmaceuticals

Location: National Harbor 3/4

VASCULAR LIVE: THURSDAY AND FRIDAY

Be sure to save time for the Vascular Live theater-in-theround presentations, with exhibitors presenting new ideas, showcasing new technologies and discussing the latest trends in vascular surgery. All Vascular Live events take place at the Vascular Live stage in Exhibit Hall C.

Thursday, June 15 10–10:25 a.m.

Sponsored by W.L. Gore & Associates

Optimizing Therapy Solutions with Gore Branched Technology

Speaker: Kendal M. Endicott, MD

12:15–12:40 p.m.

Sponsored by CVRx

Baroreflex Activation Therapy: A Novel Extravascular Procedure for Heart Failure

1–1:25 p.m.

Sponsored by Shockwave

Going Big with IVL: The New Shockwave L6 in the Treatment of Calcified Iliac and Common Femoral Arteries

Speakers: Karan Garg, MD, and Michael Siah, MD

3–3:25 p.m.

Sponsored by 3M

Exploring the Current State of Amputation Site Management: Strategies to Prevent Surgical Site Complications

Speaker: Ellen Dillavou, MD