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Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to PICS~AICS Istanbul 2020 held at the stunning Bosphorus Swissotel overlooking arguably the most iconic waterway in the world! This is our first collaborative meeting with the Turkish Society/Association of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery and our adult Turkish interventional group taking place in the beautiful and historic city of Istanbul. Indeed Istanbul, as the only major city to bridge two continents, provides the perfect backdrop for a collaborative venture between cardiologists from East and West with a focus on interventional treatment of both congenital and structural heart disease. The meeting format will mirror the PICS template with morning sessions focussed on Live Case Presentations from both local and international sites and the afternoons dedicated to interactive sessions outlining cutting edge therapies for congenital and structural heart disease, in addition to an entire separate track on imaging organized by our colleagues Aimee Armstrong and Gregor Krings who joined the board of PICS.

The meeting will commence on Wednesday 25th March with live cases from three international sites (Dublin, Doha and Jeddah). Each day we will have lunchtime sessions focussing on specific interventions in both congenital and structural heart disease with the first afternoon dedicated to established and novel imaging modalities used to guide congenital and structural interventions. We will run parallel sessions to provide opportunities for attendees to pick and chose topics that reflect their interests, with evening plenary sessions on crossover themes, ensuring an optimal learning environment focussed on sharing of experiences.

Thursday 26th March will begin with live case transmissions from both pediatric and adult hospitals in Istanbul. Experienced international guest operators will provide technical and cognitive perspectives on evolving international approaches for congenital and structural interventions. The live case presentations are the foundation of our meeting and provide a truly unique learning experience for attendees, with meticulous attention to optimizing patient care. Lunchtime sessions on Thursday include Arterial Duct Interventions in Small Infants, advanced tips and tricks for Stenting in CHD and all aspects of PVL Closure. Afternoon sessions will cover Quality in the Cath Lab, Transcatheter PVR with parallel structural sessions focussed on the mitral, and tricuspid valves as well as the left atrial appendage and a plenary session on interventions in Pulmonary Hypertension.

Friday March 27th also begins with live case transmissions from Istanbul with lunchtime sessions on Access to the Heart as well as interventions in the Single Ventricle. Afternoon session will focus on transcatheter aortic and pulmonary valve replacement, as well as VSD and PFO closure, with the day’s final combined session looking at aortic interventions. Following the days intellectual endeavors, we will host all our attendees for diner at the social event to celebrate our unique community and the opportunity it provides for collaboration and friendship.

Poster abstracts will be displayed throughout the meeting with oral abstracts presented on Saturday morning. We will also have our popular Meet the Expert and Nightmare Case sessions on Saturday as well as a TAVI Symposium. The meeting will finish at lunchtime on Saturday to allow our attendees to visit the awesome attractions this truly great city.

We look forward to learning with you and from you.

Yours truly,
PICS Istanbul Course Directors and Co-Directors