Category: Education
STSA 69th Annual Meeting Abstracts – Deadline Extended by 1 Week!
The Southern Thoracic Surgical Association abstract submission deadline has been extended by one week to Monday, April 11, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Please consider submitting an abstract for the 2022 meeting. The STSA 69th Annual Meeting will be held November 9-12, 2022 at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
If you started an abstract in the submission website and it is currently in draft mode, please complete and submit your abstract before the deadline. Abstracts in draft mode will not be considered.
The deadline to submit abstracts has been extended to Monday, April 11, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Compete for the 2022 Hawley H. Seiler Residents Award
Call for Abstracts & Hawley H. Seiler Residents Award Competition
stsa.org/abstracts | April 4, 2022
The Southern Thoracic Surgical Association is currently accepting abstracts for its upcoming 69th Annual Meeting, which will be held November 9-12 at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Cardiothoracic and general surgery residents are invited to submit abstracts to be considered for the 2022 Hawley H. Seiler Residents Award Competition.
Named for STSA Past President and Founder, Hawley H. Seiler, MD, this award is presented annually to the resident who most excels in their manuscript and oral presentation at the STSA Annual Meeting. The 2022 Hawley H. Seiler Residents Award recipient will receive $500, a personalized plaque, and their name will be engraved on a permanent plaque to be displayed at future STSA Annual Meetings. The recipient will be announced at the 2022 Dinner Gala. Residents participating in the competition are eligible for reduced-price tickets to attend this event.
- Learn about the Hawley H. Seiler Residents Award and see a list of past recipients.
- Access the 69th Annual Meeting Abstract submission site.
To enter the competition, you must select yes or no if you would like this abstract to qualify for the Hawley H. Seiler Residents Competition Award which is found under the Awards Section of your abstract submission.
You may review the STSA 69th Annual Meeting abstract submission guidelines at the beginning of the submission process and prior to selecting your submission type.
The collegiality, fun, and scientific value of the STSA Annual Meeting are unmatched, and the Southern is an exceptional forum for disseminating your work. Oral abstract presentations are to be submitted for publication consideration in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, which has a circulation of more than 8,000 subscribers. Should your abstract be selected for presentation, details outlining instructions for submitting your manuscript to the Annals of Thoracic Surgery will be provided at a later date.
The deadline to submit abstracts is April 4, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Please direct any support questions regarding abstract submissions and account login credentials to STSA at stsa@stsa.org or call (312) 202-5892.
There is less than two weeks left to submit your abstract for STSA’s 69th Annual Meeting!
The submission deadline is Monday, April 4, 2022 at 11:59 ET.

STSA 67th Annual Meeting Call for Abstracts

STSA 67th Annual Meeting Call for Abstracts
stsa.org/abstracts | April 5 Deadline
The Southern Thoracic Surgical Association is pleased to announce that abstracts are now being accepted for the STSA 67th Annual Meeting. The STSA 67th Annual Meeting will be held November 4-7, 2020 at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando™ in Orlando, FL. The deadline to submit abstracts is Sunday, April 5, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. CT.
Oral, video, history (oral), oral/poster, and poster only abstract submissions are being accepted. The submission categories include adult cardiac, congenital, and general thoracic, as well as surgical education, simulation and team-based learning, patient safety, and lessons learned from intraoperative complications.
Access the STSA 67th Annual Meeting abstract submission website.
You may review the STSA 67th Annual Meeting abstract submission guidelines at the beginning of the submission process and prior to selecting your submission type. Of important note, STSA requires that all abstract authors (primary and co-authors) submit their commercial and financial disclosure information by the abstract submission deadline of April 5, 2020. Co-authors may login and complete their personal commercial relationship form. Only one form is required per author for the meeting.
The 2020 abstract submission website is hosted by the same company STSA used last year. You may use the login credentials you set up during your abstract submission in 2019. It is also the same provider STSA uses for CME evaluations and the mobile application. If you have attended a STSA Annual Meeting in the past five years and claimed CME credits, you may already have an account within the system. If you do not retain your account information, please use the reset password link first to assist with the prevention of creating duplicate accounts. If your e-mail address is found within the system, an e-mail will be sent to you with further instructions. If not, please create a new account.
If you have attended a STSA meeting in the past, you understand why attendees return year after year. The collegiality, fun, and scientific value of the STSA Annual Meeting are unmatched. The STSA Annual Meeting continues to be an exceptional forum for disseminating your work to the entire field of cardiothoracic surgery.
Abstracts accepted to the Annual Meeting for oral presentation are required to submit a manuscript for publication consideration in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, which has a circulation of more than 8,000 subscribers. During the abstract submission process, authors may indicate if they wish to request a waiver from submitting their manuscript to The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. Requests will be reviewed during the STSA Program Committee Meeting in May. Subsequent requests will not be considered.
Please direct any support questions regarding abstract submissions and account login credentials to STSA at stsa@stsa.org or call (312) 202-5892.
STSA 66th Annual Meeting Program Book Available + Scientific Session Highlights
The countdown begins! STSA President, Jeffrey P. Jacobs, MD along with STSA Program Committee Co-Chairs, Joseph A. Dearani, MD and Daniela Molena, MD encourage you to join STSA at its 66th Annual Meeting in Marco Island, FL, November 6-9, 2019.
The STSA 66th Annual Meeting Program Book is now available. Of important note, STSA has added scientific e-Posters as supplemental education into this year’s Annual Meeting. Join us on Wednesday, November 6, for a casual evening of networking and complex case presentations which will kick off the meeting at 7:00 pm. A Postgraduate Welcome Reception immediately precedes this session beginning at 6:00 pm in the Calusa Ballroom Foyer.
Review the Program Book for a complete schedule of scientific programming. Please be advised there have been minor changes to the educational program which include modifications to speakers and assigned discussants since the Program Book has been finalized. All changes will be reflected in the STSA Mobile Application which will be available in the coming days and on site during the meeting. Live updates will be applied to the app as needed on site.
Highlights include:
- Wednesday night’s casual Postgraduate Session titled “I Wish I Could Have Done That Case Over”;
- The Harold Urschel History Lectureship presented by W. Randolph Chitwood, MD;
- President’s Invited Lecturer and Keynote Speakers, James A. Quintessenza, MD and Martin J. Elliott, MD;
- Scientific Sessions scheduled for Thursday and Friday will include oral presentations and STSA/CTSNet surgical videos selected by the Program Committee;
- Concurrent subspecialty breakouts include Adult Cardiac, Thoracic, Congenital, Adult Congenital, and ECMO/ Transplant;
- A special session on Friday morning titled: DIVERSITY, HISTORY, and ADVOCACY featuring talks from Robert S.D. Higgins, MD, Constantine Mavroudis, MD, Keith Naunheim, MD and John E. Mayer, MD.
- Scientific e-Posters in the meeting foyer on Thursday and Friday;
- A concluding Postgraduate Session on Saturday, November 9, will feature a plenary session titled: CHARITY, INNOVATION, and QUALITY. Featured speakers include Joseph A. Dearani, MD, Duke E. Cameron, MD and David M. Shahian, MD.
If you have not registered, registration will be available on site at the Annual Meeting in Marco Island, FL. For housing, please contact the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort to check availability at 800.438.4373. If there is no availability at the Marriott, please check room availability at the following hotel located .4 miles from the JW Marriott. (Please note that STSA will not be providing transportation between the JW Marriott and the Hilton.)
Hilton
Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa
560 South Collier Boulevard
Marco Island, FL 34145
We hope to see you in Marco Island.
Sincerely,
STSA Headquarters
312.202.5892
stsa@stsa.org
STSA 66th Annual Meeting
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and The Southern Thoracic Surgical Association. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons designates this live activity for a maximum of 17.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Check Out STSA’s Top-Notch Postgraduate Program at the STSA 66th Annual Meeting
STSA’s Top-Notch Postgraduate Program at the STSA 66th Annual Meeting
Similar to last year’s STSA Annual Meeting, Wednesday night programming will be a part of the STSA 66th Annual Meeting schedule. The 2019 Postgraduate Program has been broken out into two interactive educational sessions for the upcoming Annual Meeting in November.
Join us on Wednesday evening, November 6, for a casual welcome reception and informal dinner to kick off the meeting. The first half of the STSA Postgraduate Program will showcase complex case presentations and interactive discussions from STSA experts; reflecting on “I Wish I Could Have Done That Case Over”. Featured speakers and presentation topics will include the following:
Cardiac Transplantation:
- Cardiac Transplantation Case Presentation
Carl L. Backer, MD
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Aortic Surgery:
- Aortic Surgery Case Presentation Part 1
Constantine Mavroudis, MD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Tomas D. Martin, MD
Florida Hospital - The Science Behind the Case
Scott A. LeMaire, MD
Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Heart Institute
Thoracic Surgery:
- Thoracic Surgery with 3-Dimensional Modeling Case Presentation
Shanda H. Blackmon, MD
Mayo Clinic - Robotic Thoracic Surgery Case Presentation
Robert J. Cerfolio, MD
NYU Langone Health - Esophageal Surgery Case Presentation
Christine L. Lau, MD
University of Virginia
Mitral Surgery:
- Mitral Surgery Case Presentation 1
Vinay Badhwar, MD
West Virginia University - Mitral Surgery Case Presentation 2
Vinod H. Thourani, MD
MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute and Georgetown University - Mitral Surgery Case Presentation 3
Kevin D. Accola, MD
Cardiovascular Surgeons, P.A.
The Postgraduate Program will host its second session on Saturday morning, November 9, beginning with breakfast to fuel your morning. With a theme of “CHARITY, INNOVATION, and QUALITY,” Dr. Joseph A. Dearani from Mayo Clinic, will present Charitable Cardiothoracic Surgery. Congenital heart disease is a global problem. Although diagnosis and treatment for most or all congenital cardiac anomalies are currently available in many parts of the world, the majority of children suffering from these conditions do not receive adequate, if any, care. As we move into the future, it is essential for physicians/surgeons to be actively involved in political, economic, and social aspects of society in order to defend the interest of impoverished people around the world and have the greatest impact.
Following Dr. Dearani’s presentation, the Postgraduate Program will feature another living legend in cardiothoracic surgery. This year’s spotlight will be on Dr. Duke E. Cameron from Massachusetts General Hospital, interviewed by Dr. Marshall L. Jacobs from Johns Hopkins Cardiac Surgery, and Dr. Luca A. Vricella from the University of Chicago. Dr. Cameron is a graduate of Harvard College and Yale Medical School. He completed his general surgery training at Yale-New Haven Hospital and his cardiothoracic fellowship training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He joined the staff at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in 2017, where he now focuses on surgery for aortic and adult congenital heart disease. He has edited several textbooks in adult and pediatric cardiac surgery and authored over 200 peer-reviewed papers.
To close the program, Dr. David M. Shahian from Massachusetts General Hospital, will reflect on his four decade career in surgery and the contemporaneous changes that have transformed healthcare quality. This evolving quality landscape impacted each phase of his career—as a busy, clinical CT surgeon; developer of a new cardiac surgery program in a highly regulated state; department professor and chair; and hospital, state and national quality leader. Dr. Shahian will trace the development of surgical quality from periodic M&M conferences focused on individual adverse events, to contemporary feedback and voluntary public reporting of comprehensive, nationally benchmarked, risk-standardized composite measures for all major cardiothoracic procedures. He will emphasize the importance of clinical registries, scientifically valid risk models and performance measures, data-driven quality improvement, and outcomes transparency.
Be sure to join us on both Wednesday, November 6 and Saturday, November 9 for a Postgraduate Program complete with an array of didactic presentations that will encompass a number of trending topics in cardiothoracic surgery. Review the Advance Program for more details.
Visit stsa.org/66thannual/ to register and learn more about this year’s STSA Annual Meeting.
Contact STSA Headquarters with questions at stsa@stsa.org or 312.202.5892.
STSA 66th Annual Meeting
This activity will be planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and The Southern Thoracic Surgical Association. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The STS designates this educational activity for a maximum of 17.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Book Early to Secure Your Room at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort
Plan to Attend the STSA 66th Annual Meeting
Book Early to Secure Your Room at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort
Remember that registration and housing are available for the STSA 66th Annual Meeting at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Marco Island, FL, November 6-9, 2019.
The Advance Program is now available. View all the educational sessions.
Register for the Annual Meeting online or download a printable registration form.
Join STSA at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort. With stunning new guest accommodations, new and re-imagined restaurants, and state of the art fitness and entertainment areas, you can make memories in the resort’s spectacular settings, enjoy enriching experiences, indulge in culinary masterpieces and relax and rejuvenate at the newly renovated Spa by JW. The new JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort offers a new dimension in luxury, and more ways than ever to work and play in Paradise.
A limited number of rooms are available at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort at a special group rate on a first-come, first-served basis. The STSA block of discounted hotel rooms is being held until Monday, October 7, 2019, provided rooms are still available in our room block. After this date, room reservations will be accepted based upon availability only. Book early to secure your room at the host resort!
Reserve your room by visiting the JW Marriott reservation site or by calling the hotel reservations department at (800) 438-4373. To qualify for the special meeting rate, be sure to mention that you are attending the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association’s Annual Meeting.
Please visit the Social Events & Resort Activities page for more details on resort activities and local excursions available through the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort.
Contact STSA Headquarters with questions at stsa@stsa.org or 312.202.5892.
STSA 66th Annual Meeting
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and The Southern Thoracic Surgical Association. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons designates this live activity for a maximum of 17.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
STSA 66th Annual Meeting Registration & Housing Now Available
Register, Reserve Your Room, and Review the Meeting Program Outline
Registration and housing are now available for the STSA 66th Annual Meeting at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Marco Island, FL, November 6-9, 2019. The 66th Annual Meeting is packed with dynamic educational sessions and opportunities to enjoy the fellowship and camaraderie that the Southern Thoracic is known for.
Highlights include:
- Jeffery P. Jacobs, MD’s Presidential Address, “Y“;
- President’s Invited Lecture by James A. Quintessenza, MD, “Decision Making in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery…The Rational or Irrational Basis for Why We Do What We Do“;
- President’s Invited Keynote by Martin J. Elliott, MD, “Why BE a Cardiothoracic Surgeon…Nice Work If You Can Get It; A Life of Privilege”;
- Kent Trinkle Education Lectureship by Robert S.D. Higgins, MD, “Education and Diversity in Cardiothoracic Surgery”;
- Scientific oral presentations, debates, history presentations, and STSA/CTSNet surgical videos;
- New this year, “Rapid Fire” abstract presentations;
- New this year, electronic scientific posters will be featured in the meeting space foyer during the course of the meeting;
- Subspecialty-specific breakout sessions including adult cardiac, thoracic, congenital, adult congenital and ECMO/transplant;
- Attend the Postgraduate Welcome Reception on Wednesday, Nov. 6 which will kick-off the meeting starting at 6:00 p.m. Join in the informal Postgraduate Session titled “I Wish I Could Have Done That Case Over: Complex Case Presentations and Interactive Discussions about Patients Who Required Multiple Operations” to follow at 7:00 p.m. A light dinner and refreshments will be served.
- The popular Dinner Gala will be held on Friday, Nov. 8 beginning with a reception at 7:00 p.m. followed by dinner, awards and entertainment at 7:30 p.m.;
- A concluding Postgraduate Breakfast Session on Saturday, Nov. 9 featuring talks on “Charity, Innovation and Quality”
View the Meeting Program Outline
Register for the Annual Meeting online or download a printable registration form.
Reserve your room at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort. A block of discounted hotel rooms is being held until Monday, October 7, 2019, provided rooms are still available in the STSA room block. After this date, room reservations will be accepted based upon availability only. Book early to secure your room at the host resort! Visit www.stsa.org/66thannual and click on the direct link to the Marriott reservation website or call the hotel reservations department at (800) 438-4373. To qualify for the special meeting rate, be sure to mention that you are attending the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association’s annual meeting.
Contact STSA Headquarters with questions at stsa@stsa.org or 312.202.5892.
STSA 66th Annual Meeting
This activity will be planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and The Southern Thoracic Surgical Association. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The STS designates this educational activity for a maximum of 17.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.