ICEP 2005 opened its doors to a large crowd from different specialties as an international audience of cardiologists, interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons gathered to watch and learn directly from the hands of the best specialists. Professor Giovanni Simonetti, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Rome, chaired the meeting and commented on this year's meeting: "Of course we are very pleased with the outcome, a conference that reached the number of 533 participants is pretty much simple. The success of the previous years has surely contributed to this complete, innovative and attractive scientific programme."
Specifically, Simonetti referred to presentation of follow-up cases shown at ICEP 2004, discussing the results and evaluating the effectiveness of the cure, and, in the case of negative feedback, how to correct the treatment. A handbook was been handed to all the participants with the characteristic of every single case. Simonetti commented, "As today the demand for endovascular treatment of carotid stenosis with embolic protection is increasing and also, according to the literature, carotid stenting has overtaken in percentage the surgical treatment as indication. As a result, we decided to dedicate more cases to this particular intervention. Follow-up data at 4-5 years are showing at least equal results, with less complications, as well as patients benefiting from a shorter hospital stay and a reduction of costs."
In the second day there were concentrated lectures regarding indications for treatment of carotid stenosis with embolic protection device presented from Dr Alberto Cremonesi, Ravenna, Italy, Dr Gerhard Schuler, Leipzig and Prof Simonetti himself. "We discussed the importance of what data are telling us: Follow up at five years are clearly indicating the benefits of CAS, and that should give as indication of the preliminary evaluation of the plaque's characteristic in the internal carotid. There has been a discussion focus on the vulnerable carotid plaque. Starting from similar bases for what has been seen on the vulnerable coronary plaque, we tried to prove that with today's imaging capability, we could estimate the composition of the plaque itself and also the intact state of the fibrous cap. There has been a general consensus on the opportunity of revising parameters and indications and also there should be a more accurate analysis of the plaque."
ICEP 2005 also had more live cases on the thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms. Commenting on a specific case of TAA, Simonetti said, "I would like to mention the remarkable result of one of Michael Dake's interventions, he has positioned a stent graft protecting admirably the left subclavian artery and distally deploying the endoprosthesis just upon the celiac trunk. Reporting an optimal outcome with a thrombosis of the aneurysmatic component with no endoleak."
In addition, there were six cases of stenosis in the renal arteries (two of them bilateral) which were treated, followed by an extended discussion on actual indications that examined better renal functionality. There were also six cases presented on peripheral artery disease (PAD), including iliac and femoropopliteal, and three cases of limb salvage, one with diabetic foot.
Overall, the meeting focused on specific matters, which were presented from the major specialists in each respective subject: Professor Michael Dake, Charlottesville, USA, on aortic dissections; Prof Luigi Inglese, Milan, on Sacciform Aneurysms; Professor Roger Greenhalgh, Charing Cross Hospital, London, presented "indications for EVAR or conventional surgery in AAA". He summarised that the prevention of an eventual event is not always possible, as the indications used are not 100% accurate.
Important scientific contributions on the treatment of PAD came from Dr Stephan Duda, Berlin, on treatment of SFA, and from Dr Giancarlo Biamino, Leipzig, not only on the femoral area, but also on the infrapopliteal section (a very interesting section from an endovascular point of view). There was also a very interesting comparison cost/benefit in "economic impact of limb salvage" presented from Dr David Allie, Louisiana, where he pointed out the potential cost saving in intervening in this specific area.
Keep in mind the date for the next year; this fast-growing meeting for endovascular specialists will be held in Rome from the 28th to the 30th of September.
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