The ESC Working Group on Cardiovascular Surgery

There are no better examples in contemporary medicine illustrating the fusion and cross-fertilization of conservative and surgical disciplines than cardiovascular surgery and cardiology. The boundaries of the two medical specialties are almost unrecognizable not only in dedicated hospital facilities such as heart centres but also in tertiary institutions with different levels of expertise. A patient-centred approach presumes close cooperation between clinical cardiologists, imaging specialists, interventional cardiologists, and cardiovascular surgeons working together to evaluate clinical conditions, symptoms, and pathological imaging findings. They assess indications and modes of treatment according to individual patient characteristics (Figure 1).

The role of the ESC Working Group (WG) on Cardiovascular Surgery is to act as a link between surgery and the different disciplines across the entire spectrum of cardiovascular medicine in order to achieve optimal treatments.

The aim of the WG is based on the following pillars:

1. To improve communication between cardiology and cardiovascular surgery in scientific as well as clinical affairs;

2. To build a forum for discussion, education, and training on topics with general interest in cardiovascular surgery; and

3. To collaborate in preparing consensus documents in the contact zone between surgery and cardiology.

The WG on Cardiovascular Surgery consists of…active members from…countries. The current nucleus involves members with a broad expertise in all aspects of surgical therapies for cardiovascular disease including coronary artery, valvular, congenital, and aortic disease, as well as electrophysiology and heart failure. The different areas of expertise come together on the ground of a common trait: recognition of the precious value of modern techniques and technologies and their use to provide individualized care. The current constitution of the group can be found here: About the ESC Working Group on Cardiovascular Surgery (escardio.org).

Interdisciplinary work and collaborative thinking are part of the philosophy of the WG which is well reflected by the involvement of representatives of other WGs, councils, and associations of the ESC. We have integrated representatives of the WG on Aorta and Peripheral Vascular Diseases, the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care, and the Heart Failure Association. The contribution of member activities is well recognized in the constitution of collaborative partners. Members of the WG on Cardiovascular Surgery are participating as ex officio members of the nucleus of the WG on Cellular Biology of the Heart, the Aorta and Peripheral Vascular Disease, and the ESC Board Committee for Young Cardiovascular Professionals.

Current activities

The group is involved in all aspects of educational and scientific activities of the ESC as an independent or collaborative provider of:

• Clinical registries for mechanical complications of myocardial infarction (MI), as well as surgical treatment of acute MI;

• Webinars (e.g. management of aortic disease, advanced end-stage heart failure treatment for women, geographical similarities, and differences of the treatment of acute aortic syndromes) ESC 365 - Events (escardio.org);

• Production of scientific documents such as clinical guidelines (e.g. guidelines for the management of valvular heart disease, myocardial revascularization, management of cardiovascular diseases during pregnancy, and chronic coronary syndromes) ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines (escardio.org);

• Production of consensus papers (e.g. hybrid coronary revascularization, endovascular aortic repair, management of tricuspid regurgitation, and perioperative myocardial infarction) Consensus and Position Papers on Cardiovascular Surgery (escardio.org);

• Education and training for cardiologists through definition of general surgical knowledge in the current ESC Core Curriculum, Discover the 2020 ESC Core Curriculum for the Cardiologist (escardio.org);

• Data creation and collection such as in the Atlas of Cardiology, ESC Atlas of Cardiology (escardio.org) and the Euro Heart Project EuroHeart (escardio.org);

• Scientific views and comments through digital and social media of the ESC, Cardiovascular Surgery Commented articles (escardio.org); and

• Recommended articles via the website and newsletters of the WG, Recommended Reading on Cardiovascular Surgery (escardio.org).

Past achievements

• Collaboration with the ESC Congress Programme Committee to organize educational sessions.

• Collaboration with the ESC Council for Cardiology Practice to educate clinical cardiologists about the principles of surgical therapy.

• Participation in an information campaign about shortages of products and technologies for medical device regulation.

Future role and activities

The future of cardiovascular medicine belongs to collaborative projects which prioritize competence and quality of patient services, not the provider. We will, therefore, strive to increase the representation of our discipline in the cardiovascular community in close partnership with the European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Our scientific attention is expanding from acute MI to the surgical treatment of native and prosthetic valve endocarditis, as well as to extracorporeal life-support systems. We will, therefore, focus on registries within our area of influence in the ESC which—in combination with digital health projects—will shape the future of our scientific activities.

Declarations

Disclosure of Interest

All authors declare no disclosure of interest for this contribution.