We model excellence—highlights in the 96^th American Association for Thoracic Surgery Annual Meeting

The 96^th American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Annual Meeting was held grandly at the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, USA, from May 14^th to May 18^th.

We model excellence

As an annually international gathering of world-known cardiothoracic surgeons, the 2016 AATS Annual Meeting as always drew thousands of surgeons and presented abundant new researches in the cardiothoracic field, not just benefits the surgeons but also the whole surgical team. Except many common symposium, many new programs shone during these five days of exceptional scientific sharing, including the “Inter-professional Cardiothoracic Team”, “Surgical Ethics”, “Optimal Therapies for End-stage Thoracic Organ Failure”, “Survival Guide for the CT Surgical Team”, etc. (Figure 1) (for more details about different symposiums of the 2016 AATS annual meeting, you could click on the AATS website at http://aats.org/annualmeeting/).

Figure 1 Full schedule during the meeting.

Apart from the impressive and inspirational researches presented by surgeons of excellence, many interesting and encouraging events were also going on during the 2016 AATS (Figures 2-6).

Figure 2 Group picture of the 2016 American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) new members.

Figure 3 Congratulation on Prof. David Tom Cooke, Editorial Board of Journal of Visualized Surgery (JOVS), for being the 2016 American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) new member.

Figure 4 Presidential addresses by Prof. Joseph Coselli.

Figure 5 What were they queuing for?

Figure 6 For a photo together with Prof. Coselli!

As a platform dedicating for young surgeons’ learning and improving, the AATS annual meeting has set up a unique and important section—Legends luncheons. During this interactive section, renowned cardiothoracic surgeons will share their experiences and as well make active communication with the audience surgeons. In this year’s meeting, several well-known cardiothoracic surgeons were invited to the Legends Luncheons and brought invaluable sharing (Figures 7-10).

Figure 7 Prof. Denton A. Cooley (an American heart surgeon famous for performing the first implantation of a total artificial heart and founder the Texas Heart Institute) (The sharing was shown via a videos considering Prof. Cooley’s health condition).

Figure 8 Legends luncheons section. (A) Prof. Joel D. Cooper (the famous thoracic surgeon known for performing the first successful lung transplant and the first successful double lung transplant); (B) Prof. John L. Ochsner [the 27^th American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) president]; (C) Prof. Leonard L. Bailey (the famous cardiac surgeon known for the first xenotransplantation procedure).

Figure 9 Mr. Brian Kelly, the 29^th head football coach at the University of Notre Dame, is making a speech about success based on his own story.

Figure 10 At the Exhibition Hall, a Learning Center was set up for presenting many surgical videos.

Chinese surgeons in the AATS

With the fast development in Chinese medical field and deeper academic interaction, more and more Chinese surgeons start to play an important role in the international platform. During the 2016 AATS annual meeting, profound researches are presented by many Chinese surgeons who also won applauds and admiration by the international peers (Figures 11-17).

Figure 11 Prof. Alan Sihoe, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Visualized Surgery (JOVS), from Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, presented the lecture on Minimal Access Interventions.

Figure 12 Dr. Ruixiang Zhang from Henan Tumor Hospital was awarded the North America Clinical Immersion in Advanced Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery.

Figure 13 Dr. Xiao Li from Peking University People’s Hospital was awarded the F. Griffith Pearson Fellowship.

Figure 14 2016 American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) New Member—Prof. Xu Meng from Beijing Capital University.

Figure 15 2016 American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) New Member—Prof. Zhe Zheng form Peking Union Medical College.

Figure 16 As representative of Prof. Yin Li’s team, Dr. Haibo Sun from Henan Tumor Hospital presented their research report.

Figure 17 As representative of Prof. Guowei Che’s team, Dr. Mingming Wang from West China Hospital of Sichuan University presented their research report.

AME, between you and me

To fit with the meeting theme, we brought many masterpieces in the cardiothoracic field, not just the hot-sale books, including Uniportal Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery, Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery, Robotic Thoracic Surgery and Esophageal Cancer, but also freshly new books, Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery: Art of Operative Techniques (Volume I) (the most popular one during the meeting), Surgery versus Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Early-Stage Lung Cancer and Segmentectomy for Thoracic Disease: Make It Easy (Figures 18-22).

Figure 18 AME booth.

Figure 19 Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery: Art of Operative Techniques (Volume I), edited by Prof. Tristan D. Yan, Editor-in-Chief of Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery (ACS).

Figure 20 Surgery versus Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Early-Stage Lung Cancer edited by Drs. Yaxing Shen, Zhirui Zhou, Qun Wang, Joe Y. Chang, Gaetano Rocco, Alan D. L. Sihoe, Diego Gonzalez-Rivas and many other experts.

Figure 21 Segmentectomy for Thoracic Disease: Make It Easy edited by Drs. Qun Wang, Shugeng Gao, K Robert Shen and many other experts.

Figure 22 Worldwide fans for the books and journals.

Not just our readers, we as well met many Editorial Board members and authors from AME journals, like Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery (ACS), Journal of Thoracic Disease (JTD), Journal of Visualized Surgery (JOVS), etc., and met quite a lot new friends during the meeting (Figures 23-27).

Figure 23 Prof. Alan Sihoe, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Visualized Surgery (JOVS), was discussing with Grace, Managing Editor of AME publishing company.

Figure 24 Prof. Diego Gonzalez-Rivas, Associate Editor of Journal of Visualized Surgery (JOVS), with readers.

Figure 25 When Journal of Visualized Surgery (JOVS) met the Editorial Board members. (A) Prof. Alan Sihoe presented the Editorial Board member certificate to Prof. Davide Pacini; (B) Skylar, Editor of AME publishing company & JOVS Editorial Board member Prof. Theodor Fischlein; (C) Grace & Skylar & JOVS Editorial Board member Prof. Patrick Chan; (D) Skylar & JOVS Editorial Board member Prof. Hui Li; (E) Skylar & JOVS Editorial Board member Prof. Inderpal S. Sarkaria).

Figure 26 Smiling faces. (A) Grace & Dr. David Tian; (B) Skylar & Grace & Kylie, Managing Editor of Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery (ACS) & Jessie, Editor of AME publishing company; (C) Jessie & Prof. Tohru Asai & Grace & Kylie; (D) Prof. Paul Van Schil, president of EACTS 2015 & Prof. Pier Luigi Filosso & Grace; (E) Journal of Thoracic Disease (JTD) Editorial Board member Prof. Junya zhu & Grace; (F) Jessie & Journal of Visualized Surgery (JOVS) Editorial Board member Prof. Akif Turna.

Figure 27 Interview moment. (A) Grace & Prof. Xu Meng, 2016 American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) New Member; (B) Grace & Prof. Joseph Coselli, president of 2016 AATS; (C) Grace & Prof. Andrew Chang; (D) Skylar & Prof. Thoralf Sundt, associate president of 2016 AATS; (E) Jessie & Prof Edward Chen; (F) Jessie & Prof. Shunji Sano; G. Jessie & Prof. Eric Roselli).

Five days of exceptional scientific sharing ended in the skillful surgical video presentation on 18^th. Once in a year, the AATS annual meeting always has and always will bring surgeons worldwide new ideas and inspiration. Every surgeon was gathering together with excitement, joining with enjoyment and went back home with contentment. Such an enjoyable and meaningful gathering, how could one not look forward to next year’s AATS annual meeting?

Acknowledgements

None.

Footnote

Conflicts of Interest: The author has no conflicts of interest to declare.