Greetings from the President

On behalf of the Executive Organizing Committee, I would like to extend a warm welcome and invitation to those of you interested in joining the Japan Endovascular Treatment Conference (JET2015).

JET 2015 will be held at the Knowledge Capital Congrès Convention Center from February 20 (Fri) through 22 (Sun), 2015. The venue is located on the underground floor of Grand Front Osaka, which opened in the Umekita area last year, just a few minutes’ walk from Osaka Station.

In Japan, the use of nitinol stents in the superficial femoral artery was approved for health insurance treatment last year. Hence, we expect that adequate clinical evidence for endovascular therapy (EVT) for this site will have been compiled by the end of 2014, stimulating new discussion on the choice of therapeutic modalities. In particular, there will be vigorous debate on the major issue of “Drug-eluting stents? Or Metal stents?” based on the compiled data, which may dramatically change the strategic approach to endovascular treatment in Japan.

There are two procedures for revascularization surgery: EVT and bypass surgery (BSX). As endovascular devices evolve and alter themselves, the surgeon’s viewpoint of the indications of the two modalities changes constantly, so it is important to hold discussions every time. While the description of TASC II now appears to be somewhat old-fashioned, the necessity of TASC III must be emphasized.

With regard to EVT devices, I believe it is important to discuss the distinct ways of using drug-eluting stents and drug-coated balloons, which are expected to find clinical applications in the near future, as well as debulking devices, including laser-based ones.

Most of the patients with peripheral arterial diseases to be treated using
EVT have systemic atherosclerotic lesions requiring secondary prevention by using medical therapy. Importance should also be placed not only on cardiovascular medicine, but also on close cooperation with vascular surgery, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, radiology, and other fields. We must not concentrate merely on endovascular treatment; while securing a full understanding of its advantages and disadvantages, the appropriate modality of revascularization surgery (EVT and BSX) must be chosen on the basis of a systematic judgment taking into account patient background, condition of the affected limb, circumstances of the institution, and other factors.

Live demonstrations will take place with the cooperation of Kansai Rosai Hospital and some other medical facilities. Special lectures on the latest topics will be presented by invited world authorities on EVT from the US and Asian and European countries. According to custom, general oral presentations are also accepted. In addition to electronic poster sessions like in the previous conference, this year’s conference will offer case competitions. For each session, the best presentation will be selected on the spot, and the winner will be given an opportunity to present his or her lecture again on the final day of the conference.

I look forward to sharing heated discussions with you all at JET 2015.

Shinsuke Nanto, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.C.
President, JET2015
Superintendent, Nishinomiya Hospital Affairs
Nishinomiya Municipal Central Hospital
Endowed Chair Professor, Department of Advanced Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine