EACTS

Recently, we were delighted to host the 4th EACTS Innovation Summit outside Paris, bringing together innovators from across the field of cardiothoracic surgery and beyond. Addressing the six Strategic themes of the EACTS Innovation Hub, participants experienced an incredible programme of keynote lectures, invited speakers, abstract presentations, live demonstrations and more. Innovation Committee Co-Chairs, Friedhelm Beyersdorf and Mark Hazekamp, were joined by cardiothoracic professionals, engineers, scientists, trainees, entrepreneurs and industry partners, to drive forward the future of the specialty and support our aim to improve patient outcomes. Look out for the full EACTS Innovation Report coming soon to discover more about this year's Summit.

What do our members think of the EACTS Adult Cardiac Database (ACD)? Recently, we asked for your feedback, and we’re pleased to share the results. ✔ 85% said the sign-up process is easy and well-explained ✔ 83% highlighted the platform’s clear and user-friendly design Many members also described the relaunch of the ACD as a valuable step forward for the global cardiac surgery community. The ACD provides EACTS members with free access to aggregated data from over 85,000 cardiac surgery procedures, supporting benchmarking, research, and continuous practice improvement. If you are not yet an EACTS member, we encourage you to join today, access the ACD and make the most of our member benefits. ➡️ EACTS membership 🔗 eacts.org/our-community/… ➡️ ACD access 🔗 acd.eacts.org ➡️ Register your hospital interest 🔗 airtable.com/appRF0GOfjFh6R…

Join our upcoming EACTS Academy webinars to explore important topics in cardiothoracic surgery. Sessions will cover training, outcomes, and excellence in congenital heart surgery, the path to minimally invasive and robotic cardiac surgery (MIDCAB and Mini AVR/MV), and a Case Corner focused on robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Stay up to date with expert insights, connect with the global community, and take part in interactive discussions. ✅ Free for EACTS members. 🔎 Explore the full programme and register now 🔗 eacts.org/education/eact…

New MMCTS case report! 📣 📊 Skill Level: 2. Advanced This case highlights the technique of redo Bentall operation in a failed, small aortic homograft. 🎥 Watch here: mmcts.org/case-report/21… @SuguruOhira, @KMcCulloughMD

🔜 Two EACTS Academy courses are just around the corner, each designed to support your development at different stages of your surgical journey. This is your last chance to join the Endoscopic Port-Access Mitral Valve Repair Drylab Training, led by Course Director, Peyman Sardari Nia. Taking place over two days in Maastricht, The Netherlands, from 11-12 May, the Course offers hands-on experience using a true physical simulation of an endoscopic port-access setup, helping participants build skills from core techniques through to complex repairs. 🔐 Secure your place today ⛓️‍💥eacts.org/education/eact… Looking ahead, Fundamentals in Thoracic Surgery will run in Windsor, UK, and online from 23-26 June. This four-day course immerses trainees in key topics such as lung cancer, chest wall surgery and emergency procedures, while practical modules in rib fracture fixation, bronchoscopy and VATS diaphragmatic surgery provide valuable hands-on experience. 👉 Register now ⛓️‍💥 eacts.org/education/eact…

📣 We invite all EACTS members to apply for our Committee positions! EACTS Committees bring together members from across the Association to work on a range of projects, including educational activities, scientific content, research, and community engagement. These Committees play an important role in advancing the Association. Open vacancies: ➡ Francis Fontan Fund Committee ➡ Innovation Section Member vacancies ➡ Mentorship Committee ➡ Outreach Committee ➡ Pre-Trainee Committee ➡ Residents’ Committee ➡ Women in Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Committee If you want to step into a more active role within EACTS, get more involved, share your knowledge, and help shape the future of cardiothoracic surgery, we encourage you to apply. Learn more and apply by 30th May 👉 eacts.org/about/our-vaca…

↗️ Take your Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) training further. Join us at the MCS Workshop taking place in Turin, Italy, on 26-27 June! Delivered with the scientific collaboration of the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care (ACVC) and the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI) of the ESC. 🎥 In this invitation, Course Director Antonio Loforte, welcomes surgeons, interventional cardiologists, anaesthesiologists, intensivists, perfusionists, VAD coordinators and heart failure nurses to a hands-on learning experience focused on both temporary and durable MCS. Expect a highly interactive programme combining virtual and practical simulation, alongside the opportunity to connect face-to-face with European experts in advanced heart failure. We are grateful for the support of our platinum sponsor of the Mechanical Circulatory Support Workshop, Abiomed (Johnson & Johnson MedTech). Register now 🔗 eacts.org/education/eact… @EAPCIPresident @alaide_chief @marioiancardio @VPanoulas @ACVCPresident @ASionis

Maja Boček, a past participant, shared how the Fundamentals in Thoracic Surgery course improved her daily practice. She enjoyed the hands-on sessions, lively case discussions, and expert insights that made translating theory into clinical practice exciting. Since attending, she feels more confident in preoperative planning, dynamic multidisciplinary discussions, and truly grasping the reasoning behind varied surgical approaches. This year, it’s easier for EACTS trainee members to join us in person and take part in the practical sessions. You can apply for an EACTS Academy Scholarship, which covers your course registration and provides €450 towards travel and accommodation. 👉 Submit your scholarship application by 27 April ⛓️‍💥 eacts.org/eacts-scholars… 👉 Find more details about the course ⛓️‍💥 eacts.org/education/eact…

Abstract submission and scholarship applications are now open for the EACTS/STS/LACES Latin America Cardiovascular Surgery Conference in Santiago, Chile, from 3-5 December 2026. Join a global faculty exploring the latest in coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, aortic pathology, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure surgery, alongside original research, technical videos, and interactive discussions. 📄 Share your work through oral or ePoster presentations, with top abstracts invited for publication in the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EJCTS). ✈️ Travel scholarships are also available for cardiothoracic surgeons, physicians, and residents from under-resourced institutions, covering registration, accommodation, and travel support. 👉 Submit your abstract 🔗 latamcardiovascularconference.org/abstracts/ 👉 Apply for a scholarship 🔗 latamcardiovascularconference.org/scholarships/

Are you a medical student passionate about cardiothoracic surgery? Applications are now open for the EACTS Pre-Trainee Annual Meeting Grants, offering you the opportunity to attend the 40th EACTS Annual Meeting in vibrant Barcelona, taking place from 7-10 October. Immerse yourself in top-tier education, connect with the global cardiothoracic community, and gain valuable insight into the field. 🎓 The grant includes Annual Meeting registration plus €750 towards travel and accommodation. Learn more and apply now ⛓️‍💥 eacts.org/education/pre-…

New MMCTS tutorial! 📣 📊 Skill Level: 3. Innovative In this tutorial, we guide viewers through a complete robotic ramicotomy, focusing on precise anatomical exposure, selective division of the rami communicantes, and strategies to avoid complications. Surgeons interested in expanding their robotic thoracic practice will find practical tips and visual clarity that can be directly applied in the operating room. 🎥 Watch here: mmcts.org/tutorial/214

How do EACTS members rate the EACTS Adult Cardiac Database (ACD)? 📊 81% of users rated it highly for ease of use, sign-up and overall experience. A key benefit of EACTS membership is free access to the EACTS ACD, an international database designed to support better patient outcomes in cardiac surgery. With the ACD, you can: • Access aggregated international data and insights. • Explore interactive analytics. • Generate tailored reports to support clinical decision-making. • Contribute to a growing global dataset shaping the future of cardiac care. Participating hospitals can also benchmark their own outcomes against the wider dataset. 👉 Become an EACTS member to access the ACD ⛓️‍💥 eacts.org/our-community/… 👉 Register your hospital’s interest ⛓️‍💥airtable.com/appRF0GOfjFh6R…

New MMCTS tutorial! 📣 📊 Skill Level: 2. Advanced In this tutorial, we present a 2.3 kg neonate with Taussig-Bing anomaly and aortic arch hypoplasia with coarctation and a single coronary artery. The patient underwent single-stage repair with an arterial switch, the Lecompte manoeuvre, transventricular closure of the ventricular septal defect, and aortic arch augmentation. 🎥 Watch here: mmcts.org/tutorial/2146 @samsaid75, @ahmed_osama350

📢 Plan your EACTS Annual Meeting experience early. Take part in the 40th EACTS Annual Meeting in Barcelona, 7-10 October. Your registration includes access to the full scientific programme, the exhibition, EACTS TV, and Video-on-Demand, giving you flexible ways to learn, explore, and stay up to date. Enhance your experience with the full-day Techno-College programme (separate registration required). 💡 EACTS members benefit from exclusive registration rates across both programmes. Early bird registration is open 🔐 Secure your place 🔗 eacts.org/40th-eacts-ann…

🎙️ A Cut Above podcast — The new episode is live now! In this episode, our hosts are joined by Michael Borger and Nikolaos Bonaros to break down the new valvular heart disease guidelines, what’s changed, why it matters, and how the decisions were really made. They cut through the headlines to explain the thinking behind key recommendations, from TAVI thresholds and bicuspid valves to atrial functional MR, concomitant ablation, and the push for heart valve centres. Sharp, practical, and grounded in real-world decision-making, this episode covers the essentials of modern valve therapy and the unanswered questions that remain. 🎧 Listen now ⛓️‍💥 eacts.org/publications/a…

Are you still considering applying? Don’t miss your chance. Applications are closing soon for vacancies within the Acquired Cardiac Disease Domain and Aortic Disease Domain Task Forces. As part of an EACTS Task Force, you’ll help set the agenda for cardiothoracic surgery, ensuring we address the most important topics across the Annual Meeting scientific programme, EACTS Academy, publications, databases and more. This is your opportunity to give back to the community, share your expertise, and make a tangible impact on the field. Apply now 🔗 eacts.org/about/our-vaca…

🚨 Applications for the Francis Fontan Fund (FFF) Acquired Cardiac Disease and Other Initiatives fellowships close on 1st May. These fellowships offer a unique opportunity to develop your skills, gain international experience, and learn from world-leading experts in cardiothoracic surgery. Reflecting on his experience, Mykhailo Kryvetskyi, a 2024 Fellow, shared that the programme was truly career-changing, providing hands-on operative experience across adult cardiovascular surgery, opportunities to contribute to research, and valuable mentorship that helped shape his future path in cardiac surgery. This is just one example of the many FFF fellowships available. We’ve heard from Fellows across different programmes, each highlighting how the experience has positively impacted their career and opened new opportunities. Apply now before the application closes on 1st May 🔗 eacts.org/education/fran…

⏳ Final call for Level 1 Examination applications! Preparing for these examinations is a key milestone in your surgical training, offering the chance to benchmark your knowledge, strengthen your clinical foundations, and gain recognised certification across Europe and beyond. If you are training in adult cardiac, congenital, or thoracic surgery, this is your opportunity to showcase your skills and advance your career. ➡️ European Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery Level 1 (MEBCTS) For adult cardiac and congenital surgery ➡️ Unified European Board of Thoracic Surgery Level 1 (MUEBTS) For thoracic surgery These exams are held at test centres across Europe and measure the core knowledge you need for early specialist practice. 👉 Act now and secure your place! Apply before 1st May ⛓️‍💥 ebcts.org

‼️ Last chance to submit your abstract. Present your research, demonstrate your scientific expertise, and gain international recognition at the 40th EACTS Annual Meeting. 🎥 Mario Gaudino, Editor-in-Chief, shares key elements of a strong abstract. Avoid including excessive data, as this can overwhelm reviewers. Focus on the most important findings and present them in a clear, logical order. Use illustrations where appropriate, as a well-chosen figure can be decisive in the acceptance of an abstract. This year, abstracts that highlight new science and help move the field forward will stand out. We look forward to presentations that inspire debate and drive progress in the coming years. 📅 Submission deadline: 30 April 2026. Submit your abstract today and follow the full submission guidelines 🔗 eacts.org/40th-eacts-ann…

📽️ Peter Ivak, EUROMACS Task Force Member, shares how the new EUROMACS data dictionary upgrade will transform data collection. This update will enable more detailed, structured, and standardised insights. It means research can be more precise, comparisons between centres will be stronger, and collaboration across multiple centres will improve patient care in mechanical circulatory support. Over the past few days at #ISHLT2026, it has been great to see how research driven by clinical registry data continues to shape the field. EUROMACS and IMACS play a key role in this global effort, strengthening international collaboration and driving meaningful impact. 👉 Check out the new EUROMACS data dictionary ⛓️‍💥 ow.ly/RUAL50YP6F8 👉 Register your interest ⛓️‍💥 ow.ly/qOZh50YP6F5