PCI Course Programme 2009

The aim of this course is to introduce PCI to clinicians who are training to become involved in treating coronary disease percutaneously; the target audience is the entire catheter lab team, including doctors, nurses, technicians and radiographers. The use of cases to emphasise the learning points of the presentations is encouraged, along with a live case from the Bristol Heart Institute.


Indications and contraindications.

This is an introduction to coronary disease and a review of the indications for angioplasty, including stable angina, acute coronary syndromes, primary PCI, rescue, and shock.

Patient preparation and cath lab setup.

Increasingly, angiopplasty is being performed in smaller centers and also out of working hours. Accordingly it is important that the entire team understand the necessary steps to ensure efficient and safe patient care, including getting the patient ready, table preparation and shared responsibilities. This talk also included discussion of various team roles, especially in emergency situations.

Femoral versus radial approach

Diagnostic and interventional procedures are increasingly being performed via a radial route; this talk covers on the advantages and disadvantages of the two most common access sites, with practical examples and angiograms of common complications. Recent trail data will also be discussed.

Materials and techniques I and II

These two talks cover the main practical aspects of angioplasty, including discussions on the choice of guide catheters, guide wires and fluoroscopic projections for various lesions and anatomical situations. Additionally, the use of balloon catheters and stents in PCI, with particular attention paid to the recent controversies related to the use of drug eluting stents, will be covered.

Adjuvant pharmacological treatments

Although technical aspects of angioplasty often receive the most attention, it is important to understand the need for the correct pharmacological treatment during and after PCI. This talk covers the practical aspects of choosing the correct regimen in various situations.

Complex situations

Increasingly, PCI is undertaken in more complex situations such as vessel bifurcations, chronic total occlusions and in the presence of cardiogenic shock. The indication for PCI in these settings will be discussed, along with details of practical solutions and novel techniques to address these situations.

Diagnostic tools

This talk emphasises the utility of ancillary diagnostic tools, particularly the pressure wire and intravascular ultrasound. The advantages of using these tools, and example cases, will be discussed.

Therapeutic tools

This talk will concentrate on recent advances in PCI, and new technologies that help achieve good results; in particular, the use of the rotational atherectomy catheter, thrombus extraction devices and filter devices will be examined.

Management of complications

This session is case based, looking at the management of common complications in the catheter lab. The main focus is on the team response to potentially disastrous situations, and how a good team response can ensure a good clinical outcome.
 

TIMING

Registration 8.30-9.30

Start 9.30

Finish 17.00