Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

2026 Sessions

Welcome Remarks and Opening Statement

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 8:15–8:20 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

Session 1: Shaping the Future of CLTI Care (Co-developed session with the CLI Global Society)

  • Moderator
    • Richard Neville, MD
    • Bret Wiechmann, MD
CLTI

Welcome Remarks and Opening Statement

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 8:15–8:20 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

What is the Current Definition of CLTI & PAD Today?

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 8:20–8:30 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Program Chair

Richard Neville

MD
Associate Director, INOVA Heart and Vascular Institute, Schar Chair of Vascular Surgery
INOVA Health system

Richard F. Neville, MD, FACS, DFSVS is currently Associate Director of INOVA Schar Heart and Vascular, Schar Chair of Vascular Surgery, and Chief of Wound care and Hyperbaric Medicine. Dr. Neville also has an academic appointment as Professor of Medical Education at the University of Virginia, and, Clinical Professor of Surgery at George Washington University where he previously held the position Ludwig Chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery. He also served as Chief of Vascular Surgery at Georgetown University for many years. Dr. Neville completed medical school at the University of Maryland and then general surgery residency at Georgetown University before moving on to a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in endovascular device development. Dr. Neville then completed a vascular surgery fellowship under the direction of Dr. Robert Hobson. Dr. Neville is a Distinguished Fellow of the Society for Vascular Surgery, and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of many other societies including the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery. Dr. Neville is a national and international lecturer having published of over 200 manuscripts, 250 abstracts, 35 book chapters, and 350 invited lectures while remaining actively involved in research and the education of students, residents, fellows, and other physicians. He has consistently been named to the Best Doctors in America, Washingtonian Top Docs, and Who’s Who in the World. His clinical interests include lower extremity revascularization; wound healing, amputation prevention, as well as hemodialysis access.

A Year in Review: Rapid Fire Update on CLTI Trial Publications

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 8:30–8:40 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Eric Secemsky

MD, MSc, RPVI, FACC, FAHA, FSCAI, FSVM
Director of Vascular Interventon
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School

Eric A. Secemsky, MD, MSc, RPVI, FACC, FAHA, FSCAI, FSVM is the Director of Vascular Intervention and an interventional cardiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is also Section Head of Interventional Cardiology and Vascular Research at the Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Clinically, Dr. Secemsky splits his time attending in the cardiac catheterization lab, and the inpatient and outpatient vascular medicine services. Dr. Secemsky is the primary vascular interventionalist within the BIDMC catheterization lab, where he does complex venous and arterial procedures, with a focus on peripheral artery disease.

Dr. Secemsky leads the vascular and interventional research program at the Smith Center. His research involves utilizing real-world data to perform comparative effectiveness and outcomes research, with a focus on peripheral vascular disorders. Dr. Secemsky is involved in clinical trial design and implementation, and has served as an investigator on more than a dozen trials. Dr. Secemsky’s research program is funded by the National Institutes of Health, Harvard Medical School, extramural grants and philanthropy. Dr. Secemsky has authored more than 300 publications. He is an Associate Editor at Vascular Medicine and is on the Editorial Board at Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions and Journal of SCAI. He is on the Board of Directors for the VIVA Foundation, PERT Consortium and the Society for Vascular Medicine, and is the co-chair of the Vascular Disease Council for SCAI.

Promoting the Awareness of the CLTI Epidemic

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 8:40–8:50 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Eric Dippel

MD
President
Vascular Institute of the Midwest

The Changing Face of CLTI: Global Epidemiology and the Untold Data Story

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 8:50–9:00 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Anahita Dua

MD MS MBA FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery
Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Anahita Dua, MD, MS, MBA, FACS, is a vascular surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. At Mass General, she is the co-director of the Peripheral Artery Disease Center and Limb Evaluation and Amputation Program (LEAPP), associate director of the Wound Care Center, clinical director of research, and associate director of the Vascular Surgery Clerkship.

She specializes in advanced endovascular (minimally invasive) and traditional (open) limb salvage techniques for treating peripheral arterial disease and critical limb ischemia, diabetic limb disease, aortic disease, carotid disease, thoracic outlet syndrome and venous disease.

Dr. Dua completed her vascular surgery fellowship at Stanford University Hospital and general surgery residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She has also completed a master’s degree in trauma sciences, a master’s in business administration in health care management and has a certificate in health economics/outcomes research as well as a certificate in drug and device development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is board-certified in vascular surgery, general surgery and advanced wound care and management.

Dr. Dua has published over 200 peer reviewed papers and has edited four vascular surgery medical textbooks. She serves on multiple national vascular surgery committees through the Society for Vascular Surgery and other vascular organizations including the South Asian-American Vascular Society and American College of Surgeons. Dr. Dua's NIH Funded lab focuses on anticoagulation and biomarkers that are predictive of thrombosis and hemostasis in patients that have undergone revascularization.

Who Is a CLTI Operator? Building Competency in a Complex, Multidisciplinary Field

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 9:00–9:10 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Course Director

Fadi Saab

MD
Medical Director of Endovascular Therapy and Director of Cardiovascular Research
Michigan Outpatient Vascular Institute

Fadi A. Saab, M.D., is an interventional cardiologist specializing in endovascular revascularization of peripheral vascular disease, with a particular interest in critical limb ischemia (CLI). He also specializes in treating venous insufficiency and cardiac issues, including high blood pressure and carotid artery disease. Dr. Saab earned his medical degree from the Damascus University School of Medicine, Syria, and completed an internal medicine residency at Detroit Medical Center-Sinai Grace Hospital, affiliated with Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. He then completed a cardiology outcome research fellowship at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; a noninvasive cardiology fellowship at St. John Hospital & Medical Center, Detroit, MI; and fellowships in cardiovascular medicine and interventional cardiology at Baystate Medical Center, affiliated with Tufts University School of Medicine, Springfield, MA. Dr. Saab is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions, and the American Society of Echocardiography.. Saab is currently Medical Director of Endovascular Therapy and Director of Cardiovascular Research at Michigan Outpatient Vascular Institute in Dearborn, MI. Dr. Saab actively participates in clinical research and has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications. He is an active member of the CLI Global Society and chairs the Society's Publication Committee.

What Data From a Pilot Study in Germany Tells Us About the Global Cost of CLTI

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 9:10–9:20 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Course Director

Jos van den Berg

MD PhD
Interventional Radiologist
Clinica Luganese Moncucco

Jos C. van den Berg graduated from the Medical School of the State University of Leiden (NL) in 1986. The army was served in 1986-1988 as radiological resident at the Military Hospital "Dr. A. Mathijssen" in Utrecht (NL). In 1988 he started his radiology training program in the St. Radboud University Hospital, Nijmegen (NL). In 1994 he started working as an interventional radiologist at the Department of Radiology in the St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein (NL) and since July 2001 he was Head of the Department of Radiology of this institution.
In July 2004 he started working as head of the Service of Interventional Radiology in the Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, Switzerland. He currently works in the Clinica Luganese Moncucco, Lugano, Switzerland and is associate professor of radiology (Privat Dozent) at the Medical Faculty of the University of Bern.
He has (co-)authored over 270 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals and books.
He is Editor in Chief of the Journal of Critical Limb Ischemia reviewer, former Associate Editor of JVIR and member of the Editorial Board for European Radiology, EJVES, the Journal of Endovascular Therapy, CVIR Endovascular and JCVS and reviewer for JVIR, VASCULAR, JVS, EJR, Annals of Vascular Surgery, JIC, Acta Radiologica, JACC Cardiovascular Interventions, PlosOne, and CVIR. He is Board Member of the CLI Global Society and Chairman of the European Office of the CLI Global Society. He is Course Director of the AMP meeting in Chicago and AMP Europe, and Course Co-Director of the EVC meeting in Maastricht.

Including the Patient in the Decision Making Process

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 9:20–9:30 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Khanjan Nagarsheth

MD, M.B.A
Professor of Surgery, Chief of Vascular Surgery
Division of Vascular Surgery, St. Louis University School of Medicine

Dr. Khanjan “KJ” Nagarsheth is a vascular surgeon, Professor of Surgery, and Chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery at St. Louis University School of Medicine, where he also serves as System Director of Vascular Surgery for SSM Health in the St. Louis region. He is board certified in Vascular Surgery, General Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care. Dr. Nagarsheth completed his general surgery training at the University of Tennessee, fellowships in Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center and University of Maryland, and vascular surgery fellowship training at Staten Island University Hospital/Northwell. He also earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dr. Nagarsheth has developed nationally recognized programs in limb preservation, venous disease, vascular compression syndromes, pulmonary embolism care, and outpatient vascular interventions. His clinical and research interests focus on peripheral arterial disease, advanced venous disease, wound healing, thrombosis, and limb salvage innovation. He has authored more than 110 peer reviewed publications, multiple textbook chapters, and serves in numerous national leadership and editorial roles, including Associate Editor and Social Media Editor for the Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases and Innovative Techniques. He is an active mentor to medical students, residents, and fellows and is committed to advancing multidisciplinary vascular care, surgical education, and healthcare innovation.

Discussion

Wednesday, August 05 9:30–9:50 AM
Room Picasso 4-6

Session 4: Conquering the CTO: You Can't Treat if You Can’t Cross

  • Moderator
    • Bret Wiechmann, MD

Case 1

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 2:45–2:55 PM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Bobby Mendes

MD
Chief of Vascular Surgery
UNC Rex Hospital

Discussion

Wednesday, August 05 2:55–3:00 PM
Room Picasso 4-6

Case 2

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 3:00–3:10 PM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Eric Dippel

MD
President
Vascular Institute of the Midwest

Discussion

Wednesday, August 05 3:10–3:15 PM
Room Picasso 4-6

Case 3

Speaker

Wednesday, August 05 3:15–3:25 PM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

August Ysa

MD, FEBVS
Co-director BTK/BTA Unit
Vascular Surgery Dpt. Hospital de Cruces Barakaldo (Spain)

Dr Ysa has been a Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Consultant in Hospital de Cruces (Barakaldo. Spain) since 2003. His Department is a well known institution in the endovascular management of CLTI patients. He developed his Vascular Fellowship Programme in Hospital del Mar (Barcelona. Spain) and thereafter completed his training with short stages in Montefiore Hospital (F. Veith. NY. USA) and Houston Methodist Hospital (TX. USA). In 2006 he became Fellow of the European Board of Vascular Surgery and in 2011 he joined St Mary´s Hospital (London. UK) as a Senior Specialist Registrar.
For the last ten years his activity has been mainly focussed in the endovascular treatment of the lower limbs, being the co-director of the complex BTK/BTA revascularization Unit of his Department. He is also a reviewer of the Annals of Vascular Surgery and Journal of Endovascular Therapy since 2008 and 2019.
His Unit has presented multiple communications in well-recognized international symposiums and has published many papers in first-line journals of his specialty. In 2020, his clip “ Proximal venous arterialization using conventional “off-the-shelf” devices” was awarded as the most innovative video of the European Society in Vascular Surgery Masterclass.

Discussion

Wednesday, August 05 3:25–3:30 PM
Room Picasso 4-6

Conquering the CTO Roundtable

Discussant

Moderator

Wednesday, August 05 3:30–3:45 PM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Eric Dippel

MD
President
Vascular Institute of the Midwest
Faculty

Bobby Mendes

MD
Chief of Vascular Surgery
UNC Rex Hospital
Faculty

August Ysa

MD, FEBVS
Co-director BTK/BTA Unit
Vascular Surgery Dpt. Hospital de Cruces Barakaldo (Spain)

Dr Ysa has been a Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Consultant in Hospital de Cruces (Barakaldo. Spain) since 2003. His Department is a well known institution in the endovascular management of CLTI patients. He developed his Vascular Fellowship Programme in Hospital del Mar (Barcelona. Spain) and thereafter completed his training with short stages in Montefiore Hospital (F. Veith. NY. USA) and Houston Methodist Hospital (TX. USA). In 2006 he became Fellow of the European Board of Vascular Surgery and in 2011 he joined St Mary´s Hospital (London. UK) as a Senior Specialist Registrar.
For the last ten years his activity has been mainly focussed in the endovascular treatment of the lower limbs, being the co-director of the complex BTK/BTA revascularization Unit of his Department. He is also a reviewer of the Annals of Vascular Surgery and Journal of Endovascular Therapy since 2008 and 2019.
His Unit has presented multiple communications in well-recognized international symposiums and has published many papers in first-line journals of his specialty. In 2020, his clip “ Proximal venous arterialization using conventional “off-the-shelf” devices” was awarded as the most innovative video of the European Society in Vascular Surgery Masterclass.

Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

Conquering the CTO Roundtable

Discussant

Moderator

Wednesday, August 05 3:30–3:45 PM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Eric Dippel

MD
President
Vascular Institute of the Midwest
Faculty

Bobby Mendes

MD
Chief of Vascular Surgery
UNC Rex Hospital
Faculty

August Ysa

MD, FEBVS
Co-director BTK/BTA Unit
Vascular Surgery Dpt. Hospital de Cruces Barakaldo (Spain)

Dr Ysa has been a Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Consultant in Hospital de Cruces (Barakaldo. Spain) since 2003. His Department is a well known institution in the endovascular management of CLTI patients. He developed his Vascular Fellowship Programme in Hospital del Mar (Barcelona. Spain) and thereafter completed his training with short stages in Montefiore Hospital (F. Veith. NY. USA) and Houston Methodist Hospital (TX. USA). In 2006 he became Fellow of the European Board of Vascular Surgery and in 2011 he joined St Mary´s Hospital (London. UK) as a Senior Specialist Registrar.
For the last ten years his activity has been mainly focussed in the endovascular treatment of the lower limbs, being the co-director of the complex BTK/BTA revascularization Unit of his Department. He is also a reviewer of the Annals of Vascular Surgery and Journal of Endovascular Therapy since 2008 and 2019.
His Unit has presented multiple communications in well-recognized international symposiums and has published many papers in first-line journals of his specialty. In 2020, his clip “ Proximal venous arterialization using conventional “off-the-shelf” devices” was awarded as the most innovative video of the European Society in Vascular Surgery Masterclass.

Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

CME Live Case: Revascularization Reimagined: Percutaneous Transmural Arterial Bypass (PTAB) for Limb Preservation

Supported by an educational grant from Endologix.

Discussant

Live Case Operator

Moderator

Wednesday, August 05 3:50–4:50 PM
Room Picasso 1-3
Faculty

Yana Etkin

MD
Associate Chief of Vascular Surgery, Program Director
Northwell Health

Dr. Yana Etkin is board certified vascular surgeon and a Professor of Surgery at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell. She serves as the Associate Chief of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery and a Program Director for the Vascular Surgery Fellowship and Residency programs.

Dr. Etkin received her medical degree from the Downstate Medical Center. She completed a residency in General Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center and a fellowship in Vascular Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Etkin is a passionate educator who mentored and trained numerous medical students, residents, and fellows. She is an active member of numerous committees in local, regional and national societies with current and past leadership roles. In 2023, she has been elected as one of the directors for the Vascular Surgery Board of the American Board of Surgery.

She maintains busy clinical practice with special expertise in aortic surgery, venous pathology, critical limb ischemia, and dialysis access. Dr. Etkin also runs an active clinical research program focused on novel vascular surgical techniques and patient outcomes. She has authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters. She is an Associate Editor for Annals of Vascular Surgery Brief Reports and Innovations journal and is on the editorial board of several other medical journals. She has been an invited speaker and has led workshops/courses at more than 70 regional, national and international programs.

Faculty

Sonya Noor

MD, FACS
Director Endovascular and Medical Director JI
Gates Vascular Institute, Buffalo

Sonya S. Noor, MD, FACS is an established Vascular Surgeon who started an independent practice BEVSA in 2007: 2 locations, in Buffalo, and in Williamsville NY. Dr. Noor has 21 years of experience. Her career in medicine began in 1992 after graduating from CMC moving to the United States, she completed a residency at SUNY in Syracuse, fellowship at the University at Buffalo and Arizona Heart Institute. Dr. Noor is a member of the AMA, the Western New York Vascular Society, and the EVS. She is the past president of the American College of Surgeons’ local chapter (ACS) and a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS).
Dr. Noor is dual board certified by the ABS is known internationally as aleading vascular surgeon,she is a Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Buffalo, and is actively involved with teaching PA, medical, residents and fellows, since 2004.
She freqeuently serves as faculty on conferences such as CX, TED, OEIS, NCVH, VAM, EVS,and AMP, NHCC to name a few. She also serves as Medical Director of Endovascular Services at Buffalo General Medical Center and Gates Vascular Institute, Medical Director Access Care ,and Vascular Director at Jacobs Institute which is a unique medical technology Innovation center in Buffalo, NY. She recenlty added Advanced wound care services to HEr OBL access care which also offers HBOT.
Dr. Sonya Noor was awarded Top Vascular Surgeon in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021 and Women of Distinction 2018.and Buffalo Business first Entepreneours award 2023.

Course Director

Fadi Saab

MD
Medical Director of Endovascular Therapy and Director of Cardiovascular Research
Michigan Outpatient Vascular Institute

Fadi A. Saab, M.D., is an interventional cardiologist specializing in endovascular revascularization of peripheral vascular disease, with a particular interest in critical limb ischemia (CLI). He also specializes in treating venous insufficiency and cardiac issues, including high blood pressure and carotid artery disease. Dr. Saab earned his medical degree from the Damascus University School of Medicine, Syria, and completed an internal medicine residency at Detroit Medical Center-Sinai Grace Hospital, affiliated with Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. He then completed a cardiology outcome research fellowship at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; a noninvasive cardiology fellowship at St. John Hospital & Medical Center, Detroit, MI; and fellowships in cardiovascular medicine and interventional cardiology at Baystate Medical Center, affiliated with Tufts University School of Medicine, Springfield, MA. Dr. Saab is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions, and the American Society of Echocardiography.. Saab is currently Medical Director of Endovascular Therapy and Director of Cardiovascular Research at Michigan Outpatient Vascular Institute in Dearborn, MI. Dr. Saab actively participates in clinical research and has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications. He is an active member of the CLI Global Society and chairs the Society's Publication Committee.

Faculty

Sameh Sayfo

MD, MBA, FSCAI, FACC
Endovascular Fellowship Program Director
Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital

Dr. Sameh Sayfo is an interventional cardiologist and peripheral endovascular specialist based in Plano, Texas, affiliated with Baylor Scott & White Health. His practice focuses on complex coronary interventions, peripheral and carotid artery disease, endovascular aortic repair, and venous thromboembolic disease, with particular expertise in chronic venous occlusion, percutaneous transmural arterial bypass (PTAB), and minimally invasive carotid stenting. He serves as Director of the Pulmonary Embolism Response Team and Program Director of the Peripheral Endovascular Fellowship at Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital–Plano, Vice Chair of the PERT Consortium Education Committee, a contributor to the Vascular Disease Council at Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions, and Clinical Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University School of Medicine. Beyond his clinical and academic roles, Dr. Sayfo is a host for the BackTable Cardiology podcast, sharing insights on advanced cardiovascular techniques and innovative procedural outcomes with the global medical community

Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

Faculty

Jim Joye

DO
President & CEO
Golden State Heart & Vascular Associates
Faculty

Khanjan Nagarsheth

MD, M.B.A
Professor of Surgery, Chief of Vascular Surgery
Division of Vascular Surgery, St. Louis University School of Medicine

Dr. Khanjan “KJ” Nagarsheth is a vascular surgeon, Professor of Surgery, and Chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery at St. Louis University School of Medicine, where he also serves as System Director of Vascular Surgery for SSM Health in the St. Louis region. He is board certified in Vascular Surgery, General Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care. Dr. Nagarsheth completed his general surgery training at the University of Tennessee, fellowships in Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center and University of Maryland, and vascular surgery fellowship training at Staten Island University Hospital/Northwell. He also earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dr. Nagarsheth has developed nationally recognized programs in limb preservation, venous disease, vascular compression syndromes, pulmonary embolism care, and outpatient vascular interventions. His clinical and research interests focus on peripheral arterial disease, advanced venous disease, wound healing, thrombosis, and limb salvage innovation. He has authored more than 110 peer reviewed publications, multiple textbook chapters, and serves in numerous national leadership and editorial roles, including Associate Editor and Social Media Editor for the Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases and Innovative Techniques. He is an active mentor to medical students, residents, and fellows and is committed to advancing multidisciplinary vascular care, surgical education, and healthcare innovation.

CME Live Case: Laser Atherectomy in Practice: A Case-Based CME Symposium on Clinical Decision-Making and Procedural Strategy

Supported by an educational grant from Angiodynamics.

Discussant

Live Case Operator

Moderator

Thursday, August 06 4:15–5:15 PM
Room Picasso 1-3
Course Director

Marianne Brodmann

MD
Professor
Division of Angiology Medical University Graz

Marianne Brodmann, MD, Prof is a vascular specialist at the Medical University of Graz, Austria. She has been trained in Internal Medicine at the University Hospital of Graz and her main focus, after specializing in Vascular Medicine (Angiology), is doing peripheral endovascular procedures. She is involved in many trials dealing with new endovascular techniques in both claudicants as well as CLI patients.

Faculty

Jay Mathews

MD, MS, FACC, FSCAI
Director, Cardiac Cath Lab, PERT, & Structural Heart
Bradenton Cardiology Center/Manatee Memorial Hospital

Dr. Mathews is an interventional cardiologist and endovascular specialist at Bradenton Cardiology Center in Bradenton, FL specializing in complex coronary interventions, structural heart procedures, endovascular therapies, and novel device research. He did his undergraduate training at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY receiving a degree in Biology and Electronic Media Arts & Communication and subsequently working in the multimedia technology sector. He later went on to graduate and professional training at Tufts University in Boston, MA where he received his MD and Master's in Health Communication at the Sackler School of Biomedical Sciences focusing on telemedicine and interactive education. He completed residency training and fellowship training in Cardiovascular Disease, Advanced Cardiac Imaging, and Interventional Cardiology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO. He is currently global and national principal investigator in several trials and is actively involved in endovascular research.

Faculty

Zola N'Dandu

MD
Interventional Cardiology and Endovascular Intervention Specialist
Ascension Sacred Heart

Dr. Zola N’Dandu earned his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School and completed training in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, and Interventional Cardiology at Ochsner Health, including advanced specialization in Peripheral Vascular Disease. He previously served as Section Head at Ochsner Medical Center–Kenner, where he developed a reputable program in Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI). He currently practices at the Heart and Vascular Institute at Ascension Sacred Heart in Pensacola, Florida.

Dr. N’Dandu’s work centers on limb preservation through a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to peripheral arterial disease (PAD). His clinical and academic interests include advanced infrapopliteal and inframalleolar interventions, as well as deep venous arterialization (DVA) for patients with limited options. He is actively engaged in research, innovation, clinical trials, and publication, and is dedicated to teaching residents and fellows. He also advocates for patient and community education to improve awareness, access, and outcomes in PAD care.

Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

Faculty

John Rundback

MD FAHA FSVM FSIR
Managing Partner
Advanced Interventional & Vascular Services LLP (AIVS)

John H. Rundback, MD, FAHA, FSVMB, FSIR

John H. Rundback, MD, is an Interventional Radiologist in practice since 1993, and is the Managing Partner of Advanced Interventional & Vascular Services LLP as well as a partner in Premier Endovascular in NJ. Dr. Rundback is board-certified in radiology and holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Angiography and Interventional Radiology. He has been recognized as a Top Doctor by Castle Connolly.

Dr. Rundback's clinical and research interests focus on peripheral arterial disease, particularly complex tibiopedal therapies and deep venous arterialization for limb salvage, as well as venous interventions, carotid stenting, endovascular aneurysm repair. He has served as the principal investigator in many multi-center trials, presented at over 300 conferences, and published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles. Additionally, Dr. Rundback sits on the Scientific Advisory Board for multiple Strategic Device Companies, is CMO of a the ORCA Clinical Trials Network, and serves as an advisor and editorial board member for several medical journals.

Dr. Rundback is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation the Board of VIVA Physicians. Currently, he is an active board member of the CLI Global Society.

Faculty

Eric Secemsky

MD, MSc, RPVI, FACC, FAHA, FSCAI, FSVM
Director of Vascular Interventon
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School

Eric A. Secemsky, MD, MSc, RPVI, FACC, FAHA, FSCAI, FSVM is the Director of Vascular Intervention and an interventional cardiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is also Section Head of Interventional Cardiology and Vascular Research at the Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Clinically, Dr. Secemsky splits his time attending in the cardiac catheterization lab, and the inpatient and outpatient vascular medicine services. Dr. Secemsky is the primary vascular interventionalist within the BIDMC catheterization lab, where he does complex venous and arterial procedures, with a focus on peripheral artery disease.

Dr. Secemsky leads the vascular and interventional research program at the Smith Center. His research involves utilizing real-world data to perform comparative effectiveness and outcomes research, with a focus on peripheral vascular disorders. Dr. Secemsky is involved in clinical trial design and implementation, and has served as an investigator on more than a dozen trials. Dr. Secemsky’s research program is funded by the National Institutes of Health, Harvard Medical School, extramural grants and philanthropy. Dr. Secemsky has authored more than 300 publications. He is an Associate Editor at Vascular Medicine and is on the Editorial Board at Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions and Journal of SCAI. He is on the Board of Directors for the VIVA Foundation, PERT Consortium and the Society for Vascular Medicine, and is the co-chair of the Vascular Disease Council for SCAI.

Session 11: The Business of CLTI (Co-Developed with OEIS)

  • Moderator
    • Bret Wiechmann, MD

Vascular Deserts and Access to Care

Speaker

Friday, August 07 9:00–9:08 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Sonya Noor

MD, FACS
Director Endovascular and Medical Director JI
Gates Vascular Institute, Buffalo

Sonya S. Noor, MD, FACS is an established Vascular Surgeon who started an independent practice BEVSA in 2007: 2 locations, in Buffalo, and in Williamsville NY. Dr. Noor has 21 years of experience. Her career in medicine began in 1992 after graduating from CMC moving to the United States, she completed a residency at SUNY in Syracuse, fellowship at the University at Buffalo and Arizona Heart Institute. Dr. Noor is a member of the AMA, the Western New York Vascular Society, and the EVS. She is the past president of the American College of Surgeons’ local chapter (ACS) and a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS).
Dr. Noor is dual board certified by the ABS is known internationally as aleading vascular surgeon,she is a Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Buffalo, and is actively involved with teaching PA, medical, residents and fellows, since 2004.
She freqeuently serves as faculty on conferences such as CX, TED, OEIS, NCVH, VAM, EVS,and AMP, NHCC to name a few. She also serves as Medical Director of Endovascular Services at Buffalo General Medical Center and Gates Vascular Institute, Medical Director Access Care ,and Vascular Director at Jacobs Institute which is a unique medical technology Innovation center in Buffalo, NY. She recenlty added Advanced wound care services to HEr OBL access care which also offers HBOT.
Dr. Sonya Noor was awarded Top Vascular Surgeon in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021 and Women of Distinction 2018.and Buffalo Business first Entepreneours award 2023.

Hospital, ASC, or OBL in 2026 — What Really Works for CLTI?

Speaker

Friday, August 07 9:08–9:16 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

Interpreting the New Lower-Extremity CPT Codes: Implications for Treatment of Complex CLTI Lesions with Vessel Preparation and Drug-Coated Balloons

Speaker

Friday, August 07 9:16–9:24 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Course Director

John Phillips

MD
Medical Director, Endovascular Therapies
Riverside Methodist Hospital

Dr. John A. Phillips, MD is a cardiology and peripheral vascular interventionalist in Columbus, Ohio. He is affiliated with OhioHealth, Riverside Methodist Hospital and has been in practice there for 15 years. Dr. Phillips is the medical director for endovascular medicine and the clinical operations council chief for the heart and vascular service line at Riverside Methodist.

Commercial Payor Downcoding Using AI and How Physicians Can Fight Back

Speaker

Friday, August 07 9:24–9:32 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Jason Greis

Partner
Benesch

Jason is a corporate healthcare attorney who regularly represents a variety of providers, ASCs, OBLs, VACs, academic medical centers and other healthcare organization in structuring business purchases and sales, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, accountable care and value-based care arrangements and syndications. Jason regularly provides guidance on federal and state self-referral laws, regulatory compliance issues and governmental investigations. Jason regularly speaks at a variety of industry trade group events and serves as outside counsel to the Renal Physicians Association and the Outpatient Endovascular and Inverventional Society. Jason has been recognized as a leading lawyer by Chambers USA in 2019-2025 and has been recognized by Best Lawyers from 2023-2026. He is a former President of the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys where he also served as a member of its board of directors for many years.

Patient Experience in the Non-Hospital Site of Service

Speaker

Friday, August 07 9:32–9:40 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Sonya Noor

MD, FACS
Director Endovascular and Medical Director JI
Gates Vascular Institute, Buffalo

Sonya S. Noor, MD, FACS is an established Vascular Surgeon who started an independent practice BEVSA in 2007: 2 locations, in Buffalo, and in Williamsville NY. Dr. Noor has 21 years of experience. Her career in medicine began in 1992 after graduating from CMC moving to the United States, she completed a residency at SUNY in Syracuse, fellowship at the University at Buffalo and Arizona Heart Institute. Dr. Noor is a member of the AMA, the Western New York Vascular Society, and the EVS. She is the past president of the American College of Surgeons’ local chapter (ACS) and a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS).
Dr. Noor is dual board certified by the ABS is known internationally as aleading vascular surgeon,she is a Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Buffalo, and is actively involved with teaching PA, medical, residents and fellows, since 2004.
She freqeuently serves as faculty on conferences such as CX, TED, OEIS, NCVH, VAM, EVS,and AMP, NHCC to name a few. She also serves as Medical Director of Endovascular Services at Buffalo General Medical Center and Gates Vascular Institute, Medical Director Access Care ,and Vascular Director at Jacobs Institute which is a unique medical technology Innovation center in Buffalo, NY. She recenlty added Advanced wound care services to HEr OBL access care which also offers HBOT.
Dr. Sonya Noor was awarded Top Vascular Surgeon in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021 and Women of Distinction 2018.and Buffalo Business first Entepreneours award 2023.

How to Fight Fire With Fire: Using AI to Optimize Reimbursement

Speaker

Friday, August 07 9:40–9:48 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Teri Yates

CEO
Accountable Physician Advisors & DocCentric Surgery Centers

Teri Yates is the CEO of Accountable Physician Advisors and DocCentric Surgery Centers. A self-described "private practice evangelist," Teri says her passion and purpose revolve around helping doctors thrive while maintaining their independence, and she and her diverse team of experts have provided strategic consulting, facility development, and revenue cycle management services to more than 100 physician practices and ambulatory surgery center owners since 2013.

Teri has 25 years of experience holding management and senior executive roles in healthcare. Before founding her own companies, she served as the Chief of Quality, Risk, and Compliance for Radisphere Radiology Group, a large private practice of 135 radiologists. At Radisphere, Teri implemented an innovative peer review program to improve diagnostic accuracy, analyzing more than 20,000 imaging studies annually and achieving significant reductions in the diagnostic error rate in the group.

Before that, Teri worked in diverse outpatient settings, including diagnostic imaging facilities, subacute rehabilitation centers, and home health. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Services Administration from Franklin University.

Evolving Payment Reform and the “Office-Based Facility”: Preparing for What’s Next

Speaker

Friday, August 07 9:48–9:56 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

Discussion

Friday, August 07 9:56–10:15 AM
Room Picasso 4-6

Hospital, ASC, or OBL in 2026 — What Really Works for CLTI?

Speaker

Friday, August 07 9:08–9:16 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

Evolving Payment Reform and the “Office-Based Facility”: Preparing for What’s Next

Speaker

Friday, August 07 9:48–9:56 AM
Room Picasso 4-6
Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

Roundtable: Post-Procedure Care: Bringing the Multidisciplinary Team Together

Discussant

Moderator

Friday, August 07 5:07–5:25 PM
Room Picasso 4-6
Faculty

Nick Alianello

DPM
Podiatrist / Podiatric Surgery
Associate Chief Medical Officer: Balance Health
Balance Health: Weil Foot and Ankle
Rush University Medical Center

Born and raised in the Western Suburbs of Chicago. I have completed all of my educational and medical training in Chicago. I am a proud father of two young children. Currently I am dedicated to my podiatric practice and serve as the Associate Chief Medical Officer of our nationwide practice.

Faculty

Mary Costantino

MD, FSIR
Medical Director
Advanced Vascular Centers

Mary Costantino MD, FSIR is a Interventional Radiologist in Portland, Oregon. She is the Owner/Operator at Advanced Vascular Centers, Portland and co-owner of Advanced Vascular Centers, Eugene. She has been in the outpatient arena since 2011. Her practice is focused on llimb salvage, uterine fibroids and venous disease.

Course Director

Thomas Davis

MD
MD
St. John Hospital and Medical Center
Faculty

Yana Etkin

MD
Associate Chief of Vascular Surgery, Program Director
Northwell Health

Dr. Yana Etkin is board certified vascular surgeon and a Professor of Surgery at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell. She serves as the Associate Chief of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery and a Program Director for the Vascular Surgery Fellowship and Residency programs.

Dr. Etkin received her medical degree from the Downstate Medical Center. She completed a residency in General Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center and a fellowship in Vascular Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Etkin is a passionate educator who mentored and trained numerous medical students, residents, and fellows. She is an active member of numerous committees in local, regional and national societies with current and past leadership roles. In 2023, she has been elected as one of the directors for the Vascular Surgery Board of the American Board of Surgery.

She maintains busy clinical practice with special expertise in aortic surgery, venous pathology, critical limb ischemia, and dialysis access. Dr. Etkin also runs an active clinical research program focused on novel vascular surgical techniques and patient outcomes. She has authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters. She is an Associate Editor for Annals of Vascular Surgery Brief Reports and Innovations journal and is on the editorial board of several other medical journals. She has been an invited speaker and has led workshops/courses at more than 70 regional, national and international programs.

Faculty

Steven Kum

MD
Visiting Consultant
Changi General Hospital

Dr Kum received his medical degree from the National University of Singapore in 2000 and
subsequently embarked on his surgical training with the Royal College of Surgeons,
obtaining his Master of Medicine and Fellowship in 2007.
In 2009, he completed his Postgraduate Fellowship in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at
the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney as well as at the Department of Angiology, Heart
Centre Leipzig. In 2012, he completed a second Fellowship on Advanced Techniques in
Diabetic Limb Salvage and Wound Care Techniques in Milan.
Since 2015, Dr Kum has been the Director of Vascular Surgery at Department of Surgery,
Changi General Hospital Singapore and he was subsequently appointed as a Visiting
Consultant in 2019. He currently maintains his practice at Mount Elizabeth Novena
Hospital, Singapore and is currently the CMO of M & L Healthcare. Dr Kum is the past President of the
Society for Vascular and Endovascular Surgeons of Singapore (SVESS) and is part of the organizing committee of
Critical Issues in Endovascular Therapy, a regional meeting organized by the society.
Dr Kum has a keen interest in clinical research revolving around Diabetic Limb Salvage. He is
one of the pioneers in Percutaneous Deep Arterialization for no-option Critical Limb
Ischemia for which he has authored or co-authored numerous papers. He is the PI or co-PI
for several industry or physician led studies. He is also a keen innovator who is currently
working on several disruptive technologies.

Faculty

Zola N'Dandu

MD
Interventional Cardiology and Endovascular Intervention Specialist
Ascension Sacred Heart

Dr. Zola N’Dandu earned his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School and completed training in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, and Interventional Cardiology at Ochsner Health, including advanced specialization in Peripheral Vascular Disease. He previously served as Section Head at Ochsner Medical Center–Kenner, where he developed a reputable program in Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI). He currently practices at the Heart and Vascular Institute at Ascension Sacred Heart in Pensacola, Florida.

Dr. N’Dandu’s work centers on limb preservation through a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to peripheral arterial disease (PAD). His clinical and academic interests include advanced infrapopliteal and inframalleolar interventions, as well as deep venous arterialization (DVA) for patients with limited options. He is actively engaged in research, innovation, clinical trials, and publication, and is dedicated to teaching residents and fellows. He also advocates for patient and community education to improve awareness, access, and outcomes in PAD care.

Faculty

Jill Sommerset

RVT, FSVU
Vascular Lab Director
Advanced Vascular Centers

Jill Sommerset, RVT, FSVU, is a vascular technologist with 25 years of experience in advanced vascular ultrasound and limb preservation. Currently, she is the director of ultrasound at Advanced Vascular Centers and HOPE Vascular & Podiatry. She is also the director of Clinical Education and Training at Aveera Medical. She is known for developing Pedal Acceleration Time (PAT). Jill is also an international speaker recognized for her contributions to vascular ultrasound and improving patient outcomes.

Faculty

Ramon Varcoe

MBBS, MS, FRACS, PhD, MMed (ClinEpi)
Professor and Chief of Surgery
Prince of Wales Hospital and University of New South Wales

Professor Varcoe is a vascular surgeon at Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital where he is director of surgery, anaesthetics and perioperative services for the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District. He is also director of the Prince of Wales operating theatres and of the Vascular Institute, one of Australia’s most prestigious clinical trials centres. His clinical practice specialises in the minimally invasive treatment of aortic conditions, carotid disease and the full gamut of occlusive arterial disease of the lower limb for which he is internationally renowned.

He has a strong academic interest in novel stent and anastomotic technologies, the investigation of intimal hyperplasia, and cellular mechanisms, and has the first-in-man experience with the Absorb bioresorbable stent technology applied below-the-knee. In 2015, he completed his PhD and in 2020 he completed a Masters in Clinical Epidemiology focussing on clinical trial design and biostatistics at the University of Sydney.

He is a Professor at the University of New South Wales where he teaches regularly. He is founder and course director of the New South Wales Vascular meeting and the VERVE symposium, the largest annual endovascular summit in Australasia.

He is a member of numerous learned societies, has published more than 130 peer reviewed manuscripts, five book chapters, is an invited reviewer for multiple leading journal in the field of vascular medicine, intervention and science, is on the editorial board of several of those same journals. He has been invited to speak both nationally and internationally on more than 300 individual occasions.

Program Chair

Bret Wiechmann

MD
Medical Director
Vascular & Interventional Physicians

Dr. Wiechmann has been in private practice for 28 years with Vascular & Interventional Physicians in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with a particular interest in peripheral arterial disease & critical limb ischemia, abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid intervention, and venous disease. He has been elected a Fellow in 4 different medical associations, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Society of Vascular Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS) and has served in many leadership roles in these societies. Dr. Wiechmann is a founding member of the Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society (OEIS), serves on the Board, and is past-President of OEIS. He has given over 270 invited lectures, has been principal investigator in numerous clinical trials in peripheral arterial intervention, carotid stenting, medical therapy for PAD, and stem cell therapy for critical limb ischemia, and is lead or co-author on over 35 peer-reviewed articles.

Course Director

Fadi Saab

MD
Medical Director of Endovascular Therapy and Director of Cardiovascular Research
Michigan Outpatient Vascular Institute

Fadi A. Saab, M.D., is an interventional cardiologist specializing in endovascular revascularization of peripheral vascular disease, with a particular interest in critical limb ischemia (CLI). He also specializes in treating venous insufficiency and cardiac issues, including high blood pressure and carotid artery disease. Dr. Saab earned his medical degree from the Damascus University School of Medicine, Syria, and completed an internal medicine residency at Detroit Medical Center-Sinai Grace Hospital, affiliated with Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. He then completed a cardiology outcome research fellowship at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; a noninvasive cardiology fellowship at St. John Hospital & Medical Center, Detroit, MI; and fellowships in cardiovascular medicine and interventional cardiology at Baystate Medical Center, affiliated with Tufts University School of Medicine, Springfield, MA. Dr. Saab is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions, and the American Society of Echocardiography.. Saab is currently Medical Director of Endovascular Therapy and Director of Cardiovascular Research at Michigan Outpatient Vascular Institute in Dearborn, MI. Dr. Saab actively participates in clinical research and has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications. He is an active member of the CLI Global Society and chairs the Society's Publication Committee.

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