The highlights in the 2^nd Cambridge International VATS Symposium

The 2^nd Cambridge International VATS Symposium was held successfully from October 16^th to 17^th in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Held in the beautifully decorated Madingley Hall (Figure 1), this symposium was consisted of two parts—experience sharing on all the elements needed to develop a successful advanced VATS programme by experts all around the world on the first day and case presentation & live surgery on the second day.

Figure 1 Madingley Hall.

Part 1—A splendid academic sharing

On the first day, the meeting room was fully occupied by people (Figure 2). Thus, the organizer opened another small conference room so that other audience could also enjoy the meeting.

Figure 2 Fully occupied meeting room.

After the opening ceremony (Figure 3), the symposium began! On the first day’s sharing, many hot topics in minimally invasive thoracic surgery were covered, like the anaesthesiological consideration in the non-intubated surgery, VATS & SART debate, preoperative planning and simulation, the benefit and cost analysis of robotic surgery, bleeding avoidance and management and so on (Figures 4,5). Every time an expert finished the speech, coming follow was not just full applause but also questions from the audience. How could such an interactive atmosphere filled with sparkles not made experts as well as audience totally indulging them in it?

Figure 3 Course director Dr. Marco Scarci welcomed experts all around the world.

Figure 4 Tremendous sharing part 1. (A) Dr. Guillermo Martinez; (B) Dr. Eric Lim; (C) Dr. Diego Gonzalez-Rivas; (D) Dr. David Gilligan; (E) Dr. Peyman Sardari Nia; (F) Dr. Mahmoud Ismail.

Figure 5 Tremendous sharing part 2. (A) Dr. Antonio Martin-Ucar; (B) Dr. Joel Dunning; (C) Dr. Thomas D’Amico; (D) Dr. Alan Sihoe; (E) Dr. Henrik Hansen; (F) Dr. Gaetano Rocco; (G) Dr. Haifeng Wang.

Among those marvelous speeches, Dr. Mahmoud Ismail’s “thoracic surgery on a cheery” to show the normal thoracic surgery procedure earned him a lot applause (Figure 6).

Figure 6 Dr. Ismail simulated a thoracic surgery via cheery.

After the whole day’s speeches, Dr. Scarci invited all the experts to have a special dinner in Queen’s College (Figure 7). Not just to relax, the dinner also provided a great chance for experts from different countries to continue their question & answer during the meeting.

Figure 7 Dinner in Queen’s College.

Part 2—Skillful case presentation & live surgery

Time for the live surgery presentation! Following the first day’s great success, the second day’s section attracted even more passionate audience (Figures 8,9). Presided over by Prof. Gaetano Rocco, the symposium presented several live surgeries. Though seating in the meeting room, the interactive atmosphere was much more like in the real operation room, everyone paying 100% attention to surgeons’ operation.

Figure 8 Symposium main room during the live surgery.

Figure 9 Another room for the symposium.

Journal of Visualized Surgery in the symposium

To highlight the surgical techniques shared and demonstrated during the symposium, Journal of Visualized Surgery (JOVS) is organizing a special issue dedicated to the symposium guested by Dr. Marco Scarci, the course director of the symposium. Thus, to meet authors of the special issue as well as our editorial board members and readers and to exhibit JOVS, our editorial team caught the great opportunity to attend the symposium. We also brought the Uniportal Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery edited by Prof. Diego Gonzalez-Rivas, Gaetano Rocco, Alan Sihoe and other experts, to better fit with the theme of this symposium. During the symposium, we were pleased to meet and talk with our distinguished editor-in-chief—Prof. Alan Sihoe; associate editor—Prof. Diego Gonzalez-Rivas; honorable editor of Uniportal Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery—Prof. Gaetano Rocco; guest editor of the symposium special issue—Dr. Marco Scarci and also many other authors of the special issue, Dr. Tim young, Dr. Peyman Sardari Nia, Dr. Vadim Pischik, Dr. Antonio Martin-Ucar, Dr. Joel Dunning, Dr. Henrik Hansen and so on (Figures 10-14).

Figure 10 Signed for the signed for the Uniportal Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery. (A) Prof. Diego Gonzalez-Rivas signed for the Uniportal Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery; (B) Prof Alan Sihoe signed for the Uniportal Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery.

Figure 11 JOVS presented the Associate Editor Certificate to Prof. Gonzaler-Rivas.

Figure 12 Meeting experts. (A) Picture with Dr. Peyman Sardari Nia; (B) Picture with Dr. Marco Scarci; (C) Interviewing with Dr. Dr. Antonio Martin-Ucar; (D) Interviewing with Dr. Henrik Hansen; (E) Interviewing with Dr. Joel Dunning.

Figure 13 Prof. Gonzaler-Rivas signed for Dr. Tim Young.

Figure 14 Picture with Dr. Vadim Pischik, Dr. Marco Scarci and Dr. Gaetano Rocco (from left to right).

With such a brilliant symposium and so many world-known experts, let us expect the special issue dedicated to the 2^nd Cambridge International VATS published on Journal of Visualized Surgery in 2016!

Acknowledgements

None.

Footnote

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