News

News

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  New 2012 learning experience

  01/06/2012

  The Institute for Therapy Advancement  is pleased to announce we are offering, this year, new courses in different specialties.
  In Peripheral Interventions, for the international audience (in addition to the standard course) a brand-new “Peripheral Embolization advanced course”. By the end of 2012, two “Chronic Total Occlusion trainings”, one for the international audience and one organized by Belgium. Two Italian courses: a “Carotid artery stenting course” and a “below the kneetraining”.
  In 2012, the ITA will implement an Electrophysiology training curriculum for HCP which will be exported locally in the second half of the year. The program will concentrate of Biophysics of Ablation and Lesion Science and will consist of theoretical and practical workshops. 

  In Cardiac Rhythm Management, we will be offering a brand new brady course "Bradycardia Features in devices for Cardiac Rhythm Management" and a brand new tachy course "From Device Features to Clinical Practice", in addition to our already existing Advanced CRT course. These courses are intended to meet the educational needs of physicians in areas of theory and application of implantable devices. Didactic clinical and follow up procedure content will be presented by physician faculty with extensive implant and follow up experience and will be reinforced through practical hands-on worshops and clinical case analysis. 

  About the new tachy course, Dr Schaumann is explaining:
  “We adapt to the needs of the actual clinical decisions based on the established ICD therapy, implementation of new study results, actualisation of ESC guidelines and clinical propose in daily practice to build up a new training program in 2012.We will lighten up the technical background on ICD device based mechanism in the clinical context. All features will be presented for the clinical relevance and discussed with the audience to ensure best programming and safety for the patients comfort. We ask for physicians with experience in ICD therapy to get them to better knowledge about sophisticated ICD therapy. This is an unique chance to sit together with European experts in ICD device therapy in an open and interactive discussion about the todays practice and the future of tachyarrhythmia treatment. All participants are invited to bring their own cases for presentation and discussion”.
  - Dr Anselm Schaumann
  Asklepios Klinik Altona, Hamburg , Germany

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  The role of paramedical personnel in coronary angioplasty.

  01/06/2012

  On 4th October, for the second consecutive year, the Institute opened a session dedicated to paramedical personnel in the interventional cardiology room.

  “The role of paramedical personnel in coronary angioplasty”, a wide subject…, intended for the approximately 20 invited nurses and X-ray technicians.

  The day’s objective: to train, update and deepen the key themes of this practice, from the use of catheter guides to coronary endoprosthetics, including guides and angioplasty catheters. Dr. Alain Dibie, an interventional cardiologist at the Institut Mutualiste de Monsouris (Paris) and Hervé Faltot, a supervisor in the interventional cardiology department of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Colmar were in charge of this day. It was divided into 2 parts: a “theoretical” morning part with presentations on the above-mentioned themes; and a “practical” afternoon part with the use of simulators for putting the personnel into the virtual situation and test instruments to understand how to handle angioplasty guides and catheters.

  Dr. Alain Dibie and Hervé Faltot ensured the 2011 session was interactive and that the paramedical personnel actively participated in the discussions which took place throughout the day.

  The date for another session has already been set in May 2012. For this session, the agenda will evolve reflecting the attendees comments on spending even more time in the labs and working on the virtual reality scenarios.

  - Mr. Hervé Faltot
  Department supervisor
  Centre Alsace Hospital, Colmar, France

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  Evaluation of the usefulness of teaching with an interventional cardiology simulator.

  01/06/2012

  On June 24, 2011, Dr. Olivier Varenne, as head of interventional cardiology training for “iLUMENS” (Laboratoire Universitaire Médical d’Enseignement basé sur les technologies Numériques et de Simulation) [Teaching Medical School Laboratory based on digital and simulation technology], proposed a randomized study in order to help demonstrate that teaching based on digital and simulation techniques, used right from medical school, is an effective and innovative way to develop personal knowledge and the ability to use this knowledge under optimal safety conditions for patients.
  During this first interventional cardiology study, half of the interns received traditional training to learn diagnostic coronary angiography via course presentations, while the other half received training assisted by simulators.
  After these differentiated training sessions, the knowledge of both groups was evaluated. The theoretical knowledge that was acquired was evaluated using a questionnaire and the practical skills (acts and strategy) were assessed by a trainer on virtual reality simulators.

  Dr. O. Varenne concludes that new technologies are turning learning and evaluation upside down in many fields. The medical and particularly medico-technical specialties appear especially suited to this change. Use of high definition simulators could make it possible to improve practical learning while ensuring the safety of patients and while limiting iatrogenic risk as well as eventually reducing the training cost of interns in interventional cardiology.
  The simulators could also make it possible to optimise skills testing, which has been carried out in a traditional and poorly-adapted way until now and acts as more of an evaluation of knowledge. However, these improvements that are being considered pedagogically lead to important choices and financing. It is necessary to rigorously and scientifically evaluate the usefulness of this new technology.

  - Dr. Olivier Varenne
  Interventional Cardiologist
  Cochin Hospital, Paris, France
   

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  The benefit of a key partnering with scientific society: the first Radiofrequency Ablation training

  01/06/2012

  Bergonie Institute, Bordeaux, FranceRadiofrequency ablation, sometimes referred to as RFA, is a minimally invasive treatment for cancer.
  In radiofrequency ablation, imaging techniques such as ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) are used to guide a needle electrode into a cancerous tumor. High-frequency electrical currents are then passed through the electrode, creating heat that destroys the abnormal cells.
  The challenges for a physician being to:
  • Target the cancerous tumor and appropriately position the needle.
  • Select the accurate range of radiofrequency waves between the needle electrode and the grounding pads placed on the patient's skin.
  • Enhance energy control to close small blood vessels and lessens the risk of bleeding.
  In order to reach these learning objectives, both the ITA and Dr Palussière worked together on developing the appropriate tools. Renal and abdominal phantoms were used for ultrasound and CT scan guided puncture as well as animal parts (liver and kidneys) for lesion science. General Electric was kind enough to partner and send over two echo-ultrasound machines and the support of a specialist.
  Finally, two days of training on radiofrequency took place at ITA on 6th and 7th October, with the support of the FRI [Federation for Interventional Radiology], the SFR [French Radiology Society], the SFICV [French Society for Vascular Cardiac Imaging] and Boston Scientific.

  Twenty-one radiologists participated. The intensive training session covered three organs (the liver, the kidneys and the lungs) with 2 teachers allotted to each organ. There were few theoretical classes. Instead, there were practical workshops with simulations of procedures in small groups of 4 to 5 people and plenary sessions with presentations of clinical cases. This teaching session, which was voluntarily oriented towards practice, made several exchanges and discussions between teachers and participants possible.

  - Dr. Jean Palussière
  Interventional Radiologist
  Bergonie Institute, Bordeaux, France