Yesterday’s CX Venous Workshop focused on innovation in deep venous technologies, including deep vein stenting, venous ultrasound and valve technologies. Describing it as a “peer-to-peer learning” opportunity, course director Ian Franklin (London, UK) told CX Daily News that the session had been efficient, productive and enjoyable.
Offering hands-on opportunities to learn about new technologies throughout the day, the session provided “unique opportunities beyond teaching, which are not always available in highly-structured meetings,” said Franklin, who praised the “quality interactions” he had witnessed throughout the day.
Course director, Stephen Black (London, UK), commended the opportunity to attend the venous plenary day in advance of the CX Venous Workshop. “Delegates have really appreciated having the plenary day in advance of the Workshop, to give a broader context for these innovative devices and techniques,” he said. Black noted the dual benefits afforded by this year’s programme, which afforded delegates both in-depth experience with new technology, and an “ultimately very engaging” plenary session.
Manos Protonotarios, who was showcasing the AngioJet Zelante deep vein thrombosis thrombectomy catheter from Boston Scientific, praised the opportunity to communicate with individual physicians about innovative new uses for existing products. “This is the first time some of them are introduced to the technology in general. Even among the physicians using our product today for arterial work, they have not started using it for venous…this is why we are here; to educate physicians on the use of the device in deep vein thrombosis.”
Gary Jarvis (Boston, USA, also representing Boston Scientific, commented on highlights of the Workshop, saying, “The venous stents represent new, developing technology. There have really been no dedicated venous stents used in the past…these products will take venous work to the next level.”
Bard offered a training station for their Venovo venous stent. “For our product,the CX Venous Workshop offers us the opportunity to show the benefits of our product—to give physicians a chance to get hands-on; to feel it and experience the product for themselves,” said Alicia Barns who was representing Bard.
Faculty member Patrick Lintott (High Wycombe, UK) commented, “I am always impressed by how companies strive to innovate to solve the problems that we give them.”
One of the highlights of the session was the opportunity to try out a new virtual reality training suite for deep venous surgery, comprising a smartphone and an Occulus headset (both Samsung). The immersive training environment was described by Black as “awesome”. Jean-Francois Uhl (Paris, France), who had developed the training software “is doing some amazing work for this area,” said Black. Uhl told CX Daily News that the system might eventually be developed for intraoperative use. He commended the opportunity offered by the Venous Workshop to showcase novel technologies, “A lot of people are interested by this technology. There is a lot of very nice venous research here,” he said.
“Deep venous work is a field which is in a phase of rapid development and growth,” said faculty member David McLaine (Llantamam, UK). “It is impressive how this Workshop not just keeps up, but actually sticks out ahead of the curve, anticipating will develop over the next year, and introducing it to delegates,” he said.
Noting the consistently high levels of attendance throughout the day, Stephen Black told CX Daily News, “It has been great to see the interest growing. These techniques work. They are becoming much more mainstream and much more acceptable. We know that we can get good results for patients.” Commenting on the future of deep venous work, he said, “We have to get good patient-defined outcomes measures to ensure that this is making a difference to our patients in the long run. I think the enthusiasm for making a difference to the patients is palpable.”
