American Venous Forum's 22nd Annual Meeting
American Venous Forum's 22nd Annual Meeting
by David L. Gillespie, MD, RVT, FACS
Nearly 500 healthcare providers who treat
venous disease attended the 22nd Annual Meeting
of the American Venous Forum (AVF), February 10-
13, on Amelia Island, FL, where medical experts in
the field provided up-to-date treatment strategies
and presented new research to advance the care
for people with venous disease. The attendees
represented 23 countries, making this an important
international meeting for doctors and allied health
professionals seeking to learn about the latest
developments and cutting-edge interventions for this patient
population.
Among the highlights was the Eugene Strandness, Jr.
lecture, which was presented by Professor Juan Ignatio
Arcelus, from Grenada, Spain, who discussed the 30,000
patient computerized registry that is based in Spain. This
registry on venous thromboembolism – known as RIETE, an
acronym for its Spanish name – draws 350 new patients every
month from 137 centers around the world. The data derived
from the registry, which has already resulted in ?8 published
manuscripts, represents real world experience of patients
suffering from venous thromboembolism.
“The RIETE database is a valuable tool for clinicians as they
work to provide the best care for their patients,” said Joseph
Caprini, MD, SM, FACS, RVT, past president of the AVF. “We
are grateful to Dr. Arcelus for his contributions to the registry.
I am confident it will continue to be an increasingly important
data bank for clinicians worldwide.”
Another key presentation at the meeting was delivered by
Michael Vasquez, MD, Department of Surgery, State University
of New York-Buffalo. He and his colleagues on the AVF’s
committee on outcomes assessment updated the Venous Clinical Severity
Score (VCSS), a classification
system originally developed ten years ago. Dr.
Vasquez discussed changes to the system that
update terminology, simplify application and
better address the issues of patients at the lower
end of the venous disease spectrum. This revision
ensures that the VCSS is an appropriate evaluative
instrument that is responsive to changes in
disease severity over time and treatments.
Other highlights included the presentation
of ground-breaking research by William A. Marston, MD,
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, on the incidence
of Ilio-caval venous obstruction in patients with venous ulcers
utilizing CT or MR venography in combination with duplex
imaging, and Paolo Zamboni, MD, University of Ferrara (Italy)
on the relationship of jugular venous outflow obstruction
on CSF drainage in patients with multiple sclerosis. The
“Ask the Experts” session was also extremely well attended,
with Anthony Gasparis, MD, SUNY-Stony Brook, heading an
internationally recognized group of experts who discussed
case scenarios related to chemical and mechanical venous
thrombectomy.
Meeting attendees confirmed the value of the presentations,
symposiums and workshops offered throughout the meeting
with feedback that outlined how they will incorporate their
learnings into their clinical practice. Many said they would
be more aggressive in their treatment of venous disease,
utilize new technologies and conduct a more comprehensive
approach for complete venous care.
In addition, they recognized that the AVF offered a good mix
of clinical and research projects and appreciated the scientific
format that prevailed throughout the meeting. Papers that were presented
were cited as “top quality” and “rigorously
screened,” thus providing attendees with a high level of
pertinent data.
The AVF’s Annual Meeting offers an array of programs over
the course of four days. Multiple symposia, presentations and
workshops are available on a range of clinical issues related
to venous disease, including deep vein thrombosis, chronic
venous insufficiency, superficial vein disease, IVC and filters
lymphedema and compression and other critical aspects of
venous disease. A post-graduate course featuring a debate on
venous disease topics, such as stent grafting, criteria for caval
interruption devices and more, was another component of
the meeting.
Symposium were also offered on community practices,
including coding, billing and insurance.
American Medical Association (AMA) Physician’s
Recognition Award (PRA) Category 1 Credits™ were
provided for most program elements.
The physicians who attended the meeting felt that the
meeting was enjoyable and extremely well done. Said one
attendee, “This it the best vein meeting around.”
“The AVF continues to deliver high quality
presentations, workshops and symposia,” said Peter
J. Pappas, MD, title, President of the AVF. “We expect
that next year will be even bigger and better as our
program committee is already planning the addition of
new features for our members.”