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Oct. 22–27Washington Convention Center

The Industry

interventional vascular medicine

The Attendees

12,000 cardiologists, surgeons, researchers, and others who know how to worm their way into your heart

The Issues

•Heart Felt: At the Hands on Hearts pavilion, physicians dug into tubs of autopsy hearts affected by various conditions and abnormalities, such as mitral valve prolapse, persistent patent dictus arteriosis, and calcific aortic stenosis. “They never get to do this,” said a rep from a Gaithersburg cardiac pathology lab, as rows of doctors manipulated tissue to examine interesting lesions.

•Coronary Controversy: Vascular experts bristled at recent news reports linking new-generation drug-eluting stents (DES), used to reduce inflammation at the stent’s insertion site, to elevated risk of lethal blood clotting and heart attacks. Some researchers cited evidence from 17 randomized controlled trials showing lower noncardiac mortality rates in patients treated with new-generation DES vs. bare-metal stents.

•Cinéma Vérité: Huge screens in the cavernous Coronary and Peripheral Theaters broadcasted live patient procedures from medical centers around the world. Split screens transmitted cutting-edge surgical teams on one side, interior vessel shots on the other.—Rob Tierney

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