Report from the International Congress of the European Society for Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery 2022

The 70th Congress of the European Society of Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery (ESCVS) was held in Liège, Belgium, from 20 – 23 June 2022. Prof. Julie De BACKER (HTAD-WG Chair), Prof. Guillaume JONDEAU (HTAD-WG Co-Chair), Prof. Bart LOEYS, Dr. Ingrid VAN DE LAAR, Dr. Laura MUIÑO MOSQUERA, and Dr. Meike RYBCZYNSKI were among the Heritable Thoracic Aortic Diseases Working Group (HTAD-WG) members present at this congress.

The ESCVS annual meeting is an international conference that brings together cardiologists and vascular surgeons to discuss new findings in basic research, as well as treatments for aortic valves, aneurysms, dissections (types A and B), and infections. It is a great opportunity for HTAD-WG members to meet colleagues from different countries and exchange experiences, ideas, and knowledge that will benefit their work at VASCERN.

Several presentations were delivered at this congress by the HTAD-WG members present. Below is a list of the presentations:

• Curating genes & variants for heritable thoracic aortic disease – a dynamic process by Prof. Julie De BACKER
• M&Ms and the heart: the mitral valve in Marfans by Prof. Julie De BACKER
• Threats & opportunities with the use of animal models for Marfan syndrome – lessons learned & preliminary results by Prof. Julie De BACKER
• Interpretation and clinical implications of population based testing: the genomic first approach by Prof. Julie De BACKER
• Can gene variants help in risk prediction? by Prof. Guillaume JONDEAU
• New guidelines in connective tissue disorders by Prof. Bart LOEYS
• Can genetic modifiers help in risk prediction? by Prof. Bart LOEYS
• The importance of genetic counselling in HTAD by Dr. Ingrid VAN DE LAAR
• Variant curation: tips and tricks by Dr. Laura MUIÑO MOSQUERA
• Can clinical parameters help in risk prediction? by Dr. Meike RYBCZYNSKI

There were some moderated sessions and round table discussions led by the HTAD-WG members. Prof. Julie De BACKER and Prof. Guillaume JONDEAU moderated a round table discussion on Do we need new threshold for aortic route & ascending aorta surgery? Prof. Julie De BACKER, Prof. Bart LOEYS, and Dr. Ingrid VAN DE LAAR moderated a session on The genetics in the aortopathy clinic – an update. Other notable sessions moderated by Prof. Julie De BACKER include Outcome prediction in Heritable Thoracic Aortic Disease (HTAD) and the IMAD Abstract Session 1.

We are confident that the HTAD-WG members found this congress to be highly informative, and we congratulate them on their hardwork.