Welcome

Dear colleagues,

Interventional techniques for valve therapy have emerged from experimental procedures to widespread application throughout the world. Nevertheless surgical valve repair and valve replacement remain the golden standard which any other procedures have to compare with. As morbidity and possibly mortality of conventional surgical approaches may prompt patients and cardiologists to refuse surgery minimally invasive access operations are attractive for both, offering safe, excellent and long lasting results. Interventional valve therapy at this stage cannot be regarded as an alternative to surgery rather as an additional treatment option for inoperable patients as long as surgical morbidity is acceptable compared to transcatheterinterventions.
 

As we have dedicated 15 years of clinical research to the implementation and further development of minimally invasive cardiac surgical techniques it is our ambition to further spread MICS and support surgeons aiming for reduced surgical trauma.
 

We look forward to welcoming you to Innsbruck!
 

Ludwig Müller                                                   Michael Grimm