Perspectives of a Future Cardiac Intensivist on the World Congress

In August, I had the opportunity to attend the 8th World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery in Washington, D.C. As an early trainee, the conference was spectacular: from the international presence with over 89 countries represented, to the diversity of thought and practice, and exciting frontiers in research, with over 2000 abstracts and presenters from over 20 disciplines within pediatric cardiology, I was mesmerized and a little overwhelmed.

Each day began with moving landmark lectures and was filled with opportunities to expand one’s horizons. The 8th Aldo R. Castaneda Lecture by Dr. Dearani inspired us all to continue to chase excellence. The friendly debates on whether neurodevelopmental disorders in congenital heart disease can be modified by interventions by Drs. Gaynor and Miller remind us that there are important opportunities for us to improve the quality of life of our patients. The session on “Rethinking HLHS” with speakers from multiple disciplines taught us we can continue to advance care, especially in the area of preoperative oral feeding (when appropriate) to enhance overall development. The case presentation of a child with restrictive cardiomyopathy provided insight into medical and surgical practice for this challenging disease. In “Hot Topics in ECMO,” we learned there are significant disparities and inequities in care, as well as rising ethical dilemmas in the decisions of ECMO candidacy throughout the US. Throughout the week, I felt I was in a library with opportunities to browse in several genres and explore destinations throughout the world of pediatric cardiology.

What struck me the most was the volume of knowledge packed within each day, especially in the arena of abstract and poster presentations. Each day, the exhibit hall displayed thousands of posters, making it impossible to browse through them all. While certainly overwhelming, this highlighted the global and interdisciplinary dedication to advancing the field and improving the lives of children with heart disease. As we continue to advance in our practice, as highlighted by thousands of efforts throughout World Congress, I hope we can remember the inequities that exist and those that will only continue to grow. Address at the time of birth as well as other societal disparities, whether in the United States or beyond, all have a profound impact on the prognosis and overall potential for a child with congenital or acquired heart disease.  I hope as a community we take part in local, national, and international efforts to find solutions, limit inequities, and improve outcomes for all. I applaud the Organizing Committee for their efforts in creating “A Call to Action”, an effort to promote the health of all people with heart disease worldwide. I look forward to the next world gatherings and hope to find continued efforts in dismembering disparities.