EARLY-BIRD VAM REGISTRATION OPENS

Meeting Registration And

hotel reservations opened March 15 for the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) 2023 Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM). This year’s premiere educational event for all vascular professionals will be June 14–17 at the National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C.

Early-bird registration pricing will be in effect for the first three weeks of registration, through April 5. Advance pricing is then in effect until June 13, when on-site registration opens. On-site pricing remains in effect through the close of the meeting on Saturday, June 17.

This year, participants must register for the meeting itself before making hotel reservations.

SVS members receive a substantial discount on VAM registration. Non-members can apply for membership by May 1 to receive—subject to SVS Executive Board approval—the member discount. Dues must be paid prior to VAM to receive the member registration rate. The rate discount will be refunded after the meeting. See vascular.org/JOIN for more information. Visit vascular.org/VAM and then click the registration information link for admission specifics.

VAM 2023 encompasses four full days of education, networking and learning, and two days of industry exhibits. Topics range from hard science to the vascular surgery workforce, quality care and improvement, planning for retirement, a discussion of clinical trial results, and much more. Each plenary session also will include a video demonstrating a complex surgical procedure.

This year’s VAM includes some new features. The meeting will include SVS’ first annual social event, SVSConnect@VAM: Building Community, which is set for 7–9 p.m. Wednesday. It’s a family-friendly event to bring not only healthcare professionals but also their families together, said Andres Schanzer, MD, chair of the SVS Program Committee, which oversees much of VAM’s education programming. “We want to celebrate our membership and the diversity of our membership.”

The inaugural Frank J. Veith Distinguished Lecture takes the stage from 9:30–10 a.m. Thursday, tackling the topic of the BEST-CLI (Best endovas cular vs. best surgical therapy in patients with critical limb ischemia), results of which were announced in November 2022. Veith has long had an interest in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and, in particular, limb salvage, which will be the focus of this named lectureship announced at the close of VAM 2022. The speaker is still to be announced.

A celebration of diversity will be hosted by the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and the SVS’ Women’s and Young Surgeons sections, from 6:30–7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Of course, educational sessions will cover a wide range of subjects with a mix of clinical and non-clinical topics. Some programs will focus on embolization and aortic dissection, wound care, trauma, hemodialysis access, optimizing vascular reconstruction in oncology, worst cases, clinical learning and the practice environment.

Others will look at planning for retirement and advocating for vascular surgeons in the federal government. After a successful inaugural year in 2022, each SVS membership section will hold a session of interest to their particular members.

Two sessions, one on deep venous thrombosis and the second on deep venous stenting, will be presented in collaboration with the American Venous Forum (AVF).

“Every year we pride ourselves on offering an expansive variety of topics to match the wide-ranging interests of our diverse membership and their practice settings,” said Schanzer. “Every attendee will be able to take home information he or she can put to use immediately, or that will provide food for thought down the road.”

View the VAM Schedule-at-a-Glance (subject to change) at vascular.org/SAG23 to get a jump-start on planning VAM 2023. All times are Eastern Daylight Time.

Saturday Schedule Altered

BEFORE MAKING TRAVEL arrangements, attendees at this year’s Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM) may want to note some changes to the traditional Saturday line-up. They include:

● No early-morning educational breakfast sessions

● Breakfast for all at the day’s first plenary session, beginning at 8 a.m.

● The move of the Poster Championship, featuring the top 10 posters, to 9:30 a.m., before the Roy Greenberg Distinguished Lecture at 10:45 a.m. and VAM’s final plenary session at 11:15 a.m.

● The meeting’s conclusion in the early afternoon after the Annual Business Meeting (ABM)

To permit revelers to fully enjoy every moment of the Friday Evening SVS Foundation “Great Gatsby” Gala, planners have removed the early-morning breakfast sessions from the day’s programming menu. The sessions that were typically held in the morning on Saturday have been moved to Wednesday at lunchtime, and lunch will be provided.

“The Gala is an important event members look forward to. We don’t want people to sacrifice time with their friends and colleagues to make it to a 6:45 a.m. breakfast session,” said Andres Schanzer, MD, chair of the SVS Program Committee. With individual tickets and most tables sold out, attendees will appreciate the later start to the day, he said.

The Poster Championship typically is a highlight of Saturday afternoon. For 2023, the championship round is moving to the morning, with authors of the top 10 posters, as selected in Friday afternoon’s competition, presenting their work from the podium.

HOT TICKET: ‘GREAT GATSBY GALA’ NEARS SELLOUT STATUS

TICKETS AND TABLES FOR THE annual Society for Vascular Surgery Foundation Gala, to be held at the Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM), were nearing sellout at press time. The gala will begin at 6 p.m. EDT on Friday, June 16.

“As a Society, everyone really loves coming together and raising money for a good cause and having a nice evening where we can all enjoy each other’s company,” said Gala Committee CoChair Leigh Ann O’Banion, MD. “I’m excited for the early enthusiasm demonstrated by the ticket sales, and we hope that everyone brings that same enthusiasm to the gala when it comes time to raise money for the Foundation and support our vascular surgeons in their research efforts and community outreach for all our patients.”

This year was a record-breaker for ticket sales that resulted in the Foundation adding additional tables to meet demand. Individual tickets and regular tables sold out in mid-February. A handful of VIP tables remain. For more information contact Catherine Lampi: clampi@vascularsociety.org

Members who still wish to purchase individual tickets can join the wait list by using the QR code to visit the site. As befits a gala theme set in the Roaring Twenties, guests will be transported to the era of Prohibition at the Surgeon Speakeasy and enjoy an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, Gatsby-inspired performers, photographers and more. The evening includes a three-course plated dinner with wine service, auctions, a DJ and dancing.

Proceeds will benefit the Foundation and its efforts to fund the future of vascular health through its four pillars of research and innovation; community vascular care and patient education; disease prevention; and diversity, equity and inclusion. Those unable to attend in person can still join in on the fun via the Silent Auction. This virtual auction will open in June, prior to VAM, and will run through the event for anyone with an internet connection who wants to participate. Only gala attendees can bid on Live Auction items.

Both auctions will feature international and domestic trips, along with other packages. To contribute items, contact Lampi. Popular items from past auctions have included sports tickets, weekend or weeklong getaways, and medical memorabilia.

TO PROVIDE POTENTIAL attendees with a sneak peek at some of the education that will be presented at VAM, the SVS has launched virtual representations promoting several of its educational sessions.

The visual summaries—prepared by members of the SVS Young Surgeons Sec- tion—began in February. Visual abstracts, a graphic depiction of some of the scientific research to be presented, began in early March. Summaries will be posted bi-weekly, and visual abstracts weekly, leading up to VAM 2023.

View the educational session promotions at vascular.org/VisualVAM