Continuous proof of the outstanding results of surgical valve repair and replacement has never been more important than in our era of rapidly increasing numbers of valve interventions. This is why minimally invasive valve surgery has to become the standard of care for the majority of our patients and surgeons must be ready to perform perfect less traumatic procedures in any heart valve center. Proof of excellence in valve surgery has to include the routine use of minimally invasive procedures. Only these procedures can be compared to interventional techniques.

Therefore it is more important than ever to train surgeons in minimally invasive surgery as well as interventional techniques.

FOCUS Valve 2020 will address these issues providing a proven 4 days training course including live surgeries transmitted in 3D from our OR, lectures, how­to­do­it presentations, workshops, MICS wetlabs and valve interventions in a beating heart model from September 13­16, 2020. This makes the course the Ideal teaching activity for teams dedicated to minimally invasive valve surgery. Special attention will be given to minimally invasive mitral valve repair, aortic valve replacement and ablation of atrial fibrillation. Live surgeries performed by internationally renowned surgeons as well as surgeons in training will give testimony for the appropriability of including MICS into cardiac surgical training.

As a complementary educational activity FOCUS Valve MICS Training Days have been implemented and will take place first time from February 12­-14, 2020.

FOCUS Valve is an educational program in minimally invasive valve surgery offered by the Department of Cardiac Surgery of Medical University Innsbruck including presentations and live surgeries (Module I), wetlab training (Module II), observership in our OR (Module III) and local proctoring on request (Modul IV).

Modules II and III are comprised also in the MICS Training Days.

We look forward to welcoming you in Innsbruck!