Over the last 15 years, PCR London Valves has established its reputation as one of the key international gatherings for all those interested in the treatment of valvular heart disease. The Course is now a key point in the annual calendar when the community unites to share experiences and learn about the latest developments that are the hallmark of our rapidly evolving field.
PCR London Valves remains resolutely international and has long been committed to global diversity, exemplified in this year’s edition which will include a vast mix of participants from around the world. With year-on-year growth in attendance by interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, imaging specialists, nurses, and allied professionals, PCR London Valves provides an open forum to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience that helps to guarantee the quality and clinical relevance of what we have accomplished to date and can aspire to in years to come.
From the inception of the Heart Team concept many years ago to today’s ever-expanding range of procedures and indications, we have methodically advanced the vision and dreams of the pioneers in our field, enabling the outstanding opportunities that we can offer patients today. Among other milestones, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the first transcatheter mitral edge-to-edge repair – a procedure that is now established in daily clinical practice in many centres. To sustain this relentless path of safe and efficacious development, we must remain vigilant and disciplined in our research and maintain our vigilance and commitment to evidence-based practice.
A panoply of offerings
The Course Directors and Programme Producers have developed a wide selection of topics and symposia that will demonstrate the steady evolution of devices and techniques and their application in a variety of clinical settings.
Every day, in the Main Arena, participants will be able to witness wall-to-wall LIVE and RECORDED surgical and transcatheter cases from London, Toulouse, Bordeaux, New York and Bad Oeynhausen, as well as focused “Spotlight” sessions addressing state-of-the-art hot topics. Elsewhere, there will be 3 dedicated tracks and a total of 27 sessions covering the aortic, mitral and tricuspid valves. This year we are piloting a new “arena-style” set-up in Room 2 (now known as the Forum), with “catchbox” microphones to encourage more spontaneous and lively interaction.
Throughout the 3 days of PCR London Valves, all attendees will be able to participate in Simulation Lab learning pathways – this year featuring 4 separate and distinct zones:
• The Simulation Learning Room, where you can observe expert demonstrations;
• The Hands-On Lab, where you can work in small peer-to-peer groups;
• The Training Village, providing the possibility to refine the technique of your choice in a variety of specially created device-specific workshops;
• And, back this year due to popular demand, the Imaging Learning Centre, offering a unique opportunity to understand the anatomy of the heart in 3 dimensions and apply this knowledge during transcatheter valve interventions in your cath lab.
And that’s not all:
• This year, we have received over 850 submissions from around the world that will fill the sessions dedicated to cases, abstracts, innovations and late-breaking trials.
• There will be 2 Innovation Showroom sessions, allowing pioneers to share their early-stage technologies with participants, offering a glimpse of the future and an opportunity for clinical feedback.
• The PCR London Valves Fellows Course (incorporating both TAVI and Mitral tracks) will be available to early-career participants on Saturday afternoon and evening.
• The Nursing and Allied Professionals track will focus on topics of particular relevance to this key group of participants.
• PCR London Valves is committed to all participants – whether you are with us in person or joining us online. Four rooms will be live-streamed on the Course platform and the LIVE case presentations from the Main Arena will be available for replay shortly after completion of the Course.
New Course Directors
The value of any educational enterprise is enhanced by constant renewal and evolution in response to the changing needs of our ever-expanding community. Accordingly, PCR London Valves is proud to announce the appointment of three new Course Directors – Nina Wunderlich (Germany), Simon Redwood (United Kingdom) and Didier Tchétché (France). All three are well known and hugely respected within our community, and we ask you to join us in welcoming them to the team. We also pass our thanks to Andreas Baumbach (United Kingdom) and Corrado Tamburino (Italy) who have made huge contributions to the success of PCR London Valves in recent years and have now moved on to new roles within the PCR Family.
So, the 15th Edition of PCR London Valves is upon us, and we are excited to provide you with 3 days to reflect, learn, share and exchange – whether you are with us in person, or participating online – and to celebrate continuing advances in the treatment of valvular heart disease in its many guises and the resulting improvements in quality of life that we can offer to our patients.
