Reconstruction of the Aortic Valve and Root

Dear Professor Schaefers,,

due to the flight scheduled I could not attend your last lecture and thus to thank you for the course you organized. The course was comprehensive, detailed and usefully repetitive. I learned what I hoped to learn. I do feel that now, finally, I have the tools to decipher the complexity of the aortic valve geometry especially that of the bicuspid valve. Of course, I had to prepare myself before coming and that helped me to go smoothly through this crash course on aortic valve. Besides, I would like to thank you for not sharing only the technical aspects of the subject but also the complex mental process that brings you to decide which way follow. (Descartes’ Error. Emotion, Reason and the human brain).

Dear Professor Schaefers,,

first of all I would like to express many thanks for very inspirative workshop Reconstruction of the Aorta Valve and Root - A practical Approach, I attended in May. All the lectures were well prepared and I enjoyed also the live transmissions from ORs.

Some of the speakers brought new looks to the problematic, e.g. the surgeon´s skill to perform personally TEE at the operating room, which was for me (I confess) a bit surprising in the good meaning of that word. I do respect all the philosophy of the aortic valve repair, which is in your conception not dogmatic compared to some other surgeons, and admits "step back" in certain situations to AVR.

I really appreciate it.

Dear Professor Schaefers,,

First of all I’d like to address my compliments for the course on aortic valve reconstruction I attended at you clinic last April.
I think the course offers a comprehensive insight in the possibilities of aortic valve/root reconstruction, and can be a good guide to the start or extension of an aortic valve/root repair program. The presentations were clear, and the live cases were excellent. The small scale allows a good interaction, as well in the class as afterwards during dinner.
Of course you are best helped with feedback on how to improve the course, but I could not think of (major) weaknesses, I’m sorry..
I would like to additionally compliment your staff, and the congress organisation, for their enthusiasm and dedication.

Dear Professor Schaefers,,

Due to the flight schedule, I missed the chance to greet you personally at the end of the course. I really wish to thank you for the great experience you offered me. I was honored to partecipate to the course and I learned a lot. The organization was excellent with numerous practical take-home messages. I appreciated the rational and systematic approach to the aortic pathology you showed us. Not least, the dinner wines were excellent…! I’m just about to start using the Calliper and I’m looking forward to it. I’ll provide you a feed-back. I hope to share similar experience in the future with you and to have the chance to discuss with you, at least by mail, difficult aortic cases.

Dear Prof. Schäfers,

Between September 20th and December 1th I did 11 cases - I had to take down one and implant a freestyle aortic root (same operation-just longer). I then moved to New Zealand, Green Lane as I got an offer I could not refuse. I will try to implement the concept here. I hope some of my colleagues here will attend your workshop otherwise we will have to set up a meeting here down under...

Dear Prof. Schäfers,

It was indeed a privilege to be a part of this wonderfully conducted symposium. A truly interactive academic exercise ! Prof. Schäfers took  it upon himself to demystify the aortic root and valve reconstruction for everyone present. In a systematic, step by step manner, the enigma of aortic root remodeling and repair was transformed into an achievable target. With didactic lectures, video presentations, and live operative demonstrations, the symposium was able to achieve the desired goal. The supervised wet lab was an additional bonanza for the participants. For those surgeons who want to excel in the field of aortic valve conservation, I think, this symposium is ‘must attend’ event.

A suggestion for those cardiac surgeons who intend to attend this wonderful symposium in future. Come prepared! A basic understanding of echocardiographic techniques, aortic root anatomy, and current guidelines will help the participants to extract maximum out of this symposium.

Hi Prof . Schäfers

Thanks again for an excellent workshop Wednesday to Friday.
I enjoyed it very much.
I just want to let you know that I did the first case this morning.
A 63 Y old male with dilated Aortic root (54 mm) and severe AR. Tricuspid valve.
He had a 26 mm tube graft for remodeling and the annuluplasty reduced the annulus from 30 mm to 25 mm (using hegar). Furthermore all three cusps needed plication in order to avoid prolapse.
Final result with trace Aortic regurgitation. Skin-to-skin 2 hours 30 min.

Dear Prof. Schäfers,

I would like to congratulate you for the excellent organisation of this workshop.
Everything was at the superlative (inclundig the dinners too) !!!
The quality of the presentations and the DVD were very good , also the faculty.
I thank you, and I am looking forward for the next event (may be an advanced training course?).

the course was very well performed, the level was much better than I expected.

please continue with this workshop. It is so helpful and well organized.

great course, great hospitality!

outstanding course! Congratulations!

it´s the third time I come to Homburg and anytime is like to discover something new, logical, shining! Congratulations!

generally excellent course. Congratulations! Your systematic approach to the leaking valve as well as fully understanding the mechanism involved in the AR to make the outcome of surgery predictable.

Sehr geehrter Herr Prof. Schäfers,

wenn auch etwas verspätet möchte ich mich gern für den perfekt organisierten Kurs bedanken. Ein konsistentes Konzept zur Rekonstruktion der Aortenklappe ist durchwegs nachvollziehbar, die Organisation einer so großen Anzahl an Live Operationen in nur 2 Tagen hat mich sehr beeindruckt, und das Wetlab ist zusätzlich überaus hilfreich. Ich würde den Kurs in jedem Fall weiterempfehlen!