by Suzanne Kouri

On October 22-24, 2010, the American Venous Forum is offering The Vein Forum: A Comprehensive Hands-On Course for Practicing Physicians. This is a multi-faceted program specifically designed for physicians treating patients with venous disease; including general surgeons, vascular surgeons, phlebologists, interventional radiologist and interventional cardiologists. The course, which will take place at the Englewood Medical Center & Hospital in Englewood, NJ, will provide clinicians with a unique educational opportunity that includes hands-on workshops with innovative models on all types of venous procedures, interactive case presentations and extensive how-to video presentations. A limited registration (50) ensures a small faculty: participant ratio (1:4) that enhances exposure and access to leaders in the field. Program design will also allow attendees to participate in all available hands-on workshops and have interactive discussions.

The Vein Forum addresses a healthcare gap first identified by the Surgeon General’s office in 2008 when there was a call to action for the prevention and treatment of venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, post-thrombotic syndrome and chronic venous disease. The Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, MD, MPH, stated, “We have made great progress in our knowledge of how to prevent, diagnose and treat deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. It is also clear we are not applying the knowledge on a systematic basis.”The AVF, as the foremost medical organization that is focused on research on venous disease and patient care, is heeding the call.“ The organizing committee for The Vein Forum is committed to providing physicians with the necessary knowledge and tools for them to offer advanced venous interventions to patients with venous pathology,” said Antonios Gasparis, MD, Stony Brook University Medical Center, and Faculty Chair of The Vein Forum. “To achieve this, we have developed a multi-pronged approach to address each topic which includes didactic sessions, interactive case presentations, detailed video presentations and hands-on workshops with multiple innovative models specifically designed for this course.” A review of the literature by the American Venous Forum indicates that while the knowledge of the disease process in venous disease has increased over the past decade, the incidence of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Pulmonary Embolism (PE), Post-Thrombotic Syndrome (PTS) and Chronic Ve-nous Disease (CVD) have not decreased.“DVT prophylaxis is not utilized frequently and the myriad of treatment options have only served to confuse clinicians,” Dr. Nicos Labropoulos, State Stony Brook University Medical Center, and faculty member of the Vein Forum, said. “In addition, the incidence and clinical manifestations of PTS are poorly understood, making it difficult for many doctors to apply the correct treatment option. Advanced wound therapies are under-utilized.”

These knowledge gaps are critical because the patient population is so large. According to the AVF, there are 20 million patients in the U.S. with varicose veins. The vast majority of venous ulcer patients have venous hypertension secondary to reflux, yet only 150,000 endovenous ablations – the recommended treatment for this condition – are performed each year in this country.

The Vein Forum will specifically address:

• The prevention and treatment of DVT/PE
• The diagnosis and treatment of PTS
• The utilization of new technologies, such as endovenous therapies and foam, to treat varicose veins and venous ulcers
• The use of advanced wound care technologies, including synthetic skin substitutes
• The use of duplex ultrasonography and intravascular ultrasound in the evaluation and treatment of CVD and PTS.
• The endovascular management of venous outflow obstruction due to DVT and PTS

Topics will be presented in multiple formats. One of the key sessions on venous thrombolysis and stenting will include didactic sessions on patient selection, treatment options and techniques; these will be supplemented with interactive case presentations, video presentations and hands-on workshops using several available devices.

Another highlight will be the presentations on manage-ment of superficial venous insufficiency, which will feature didactic sessions on all treatment options including thermal and chemical ablation; a live ultrasound presentation with an interactive discussion on treatment options; and hands-on models for ultrasound guided venous access, ablation procedures and sclerotherapy.“Participants in the Vein Forum will be better equipped to diagnose and treat their patients with vein disease,” said Peter Pappas, MD, AVF President. “Nowhere else can they learn from the leaders in the field, acquire hands-on experience and get updates on the newest technologies available.”Participants in The Vein Forum will earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. The number of credits available will be determined once the program has been finalized.The Vein Forum is limited to 50 practicing clinicians on a first-come, first-served basis. All registrations must be received by Wednesday, September 29, 2010. Interested clinicians are advised to register early because the course may fill prior to the deadline. The cost for AVF members is $400; non-member registration is $500. For more information about the course, travel and accommodations, as well as to register, log on to
www.veinforum.org/attendingscourse.html.