7:00 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast — Exhibits Open

7:45 a.m.

Welcome and Opening Remarks, John Warner, MD, UT Southwestern Medical Center; and OptumHealth Education

8:00 a.m.

Therapeutic Options for Advanced Heart Failure, Mark Drazner, MD

This session will review simple clinical markers that identify patients with advanced heart failure that should be referred to advanced heart failure centers, the prognosis of such patients without advanced therapies and the treatment options available to them.

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize how to identify patients with advanced heart failure based on simple clinical features.
2. Explain the natural history of patients with advanced heart failure.
3. State the risks and benefits of left ventricular assist devices and cardiac transplantation in patients with advanced heart failure.

8:30 a.m.

Neuromuscular Cardiomyopathy: A Novel Mode of Maladaptive Cardiac Remodeling, Pradeep P.A. Mammen, MD, FAHA, FACC

Neuromuscular disorders represent an array of inherited myogenic disorders involving mutations and/or dysregulations of a variety of cytoskeleton or nuclear proteins within the myocyte. Despite the high incidence of end-stage cardiomyopathy amongst patients with neuromuscular disorders, there is limited data regarding the mode of maladaptive cardiac remodeling that develops. During this presentation, we will review the most common types of neuromuscular disorders and the pathophysiology underlying cardiomyopathies in this patient population, as well as outline a treatment approach to potentially improving cardiac function is these patients.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the variety of neuromuscular disorders that can afflict patients.
2. State the pathophysiology that underpins the development of cardiomyopathies in patients with neuromuscular disorders.
3. Outline a practical approach to the management of neuromuscular cardiomyopathies.

9:00 a.m.

Heart Transplantation in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD), Alpesh Amin, MD

Due to rapid advances in surgical and medical interventions in the pediatric population, ACHD is now more prevalent than ever — there are an estimated 750,000 adults with ACHD in the U.S. This presentation will discuss the treatment options for this patient population, including the challenges faced with heart transplantation and the importance of subspecialty care for these patients.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the growing population of ACHD.
2. Define the need for advanced therapy options in the ACHD population.
3. Review the challenges in performing heart transplantation in the ACHD population.
4. Identify the need for specialized centers for heart transplantation in the ACHD population.

9:30 a.m.

Expanding the Donor Pool for Heart Transplantation, Matthias Peltz, MD

Heart transplantation remains the most effective therapy for end-stage cardiac disease. Fewer than 2,500 patients are transplanted annually, while nearly 4,000 candidates are on the heart transplant waiting list. Conventional wisdom suggests that most suitable donor hearts are procured for transplantation, however, currently only approximately 30 percent of eligible cardiac donors are actually transplanted, indicating that a number of potentially suitable organs are being discarded. This session will examine donor variables that affect outcomes after transplantation and discuss strategies that can be used to increase the donor pool for cardiac transplantation.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify donor variables that impact outcomes after heart transplantation.
2. Discuss use of older and other extended donors for cardiac transplantation.

10:00 a.m.

Break — Exhibits Open

10:15 a.m.

Medical Considerations for Lung Transplantation, Fernando Torres, MD

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the implications of immunology in patients after lung transplantation.

10:45 a.m.

Advances in Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion (EVLP): A Multidisciplinary Approach, Pietro Bajona, MD and Jenna Bland, RN

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the technical details of EVLP.
2. Explain the rationale behind EVLP.
3. State the worldwide clinical experience with the EVLP, including the Toronto technique and others.
4. Discuss the growing literature on EVLP application for donation after cardiac death (DCD) lungs.

11:15 a.m.

Surgical Advances in Lung Transplantation and ECMO, Michael Wait, MD

Learning Objectives:

1. Outline the role ECMO plays in a lung transplant program.
2. Explain the emerging role XVIVO plays in a lung transplant program.
3. State donor and recipient factors that affect lung transplant outcomes.

11:45 a.m.

Lunch (provided)

12:30 p.m.

Dessert Break — Exhibits Open

1:00 p.m.

Lung Transplant Outcomes and More… Fernando Torres, MD

Learning Objectives:

1. List factors that impact quality outcomes in a lung transplant program.
2. Identify steps that can be taken to maximize posttransplant outcomes in lung recipients.

1:30 p.m.

Psychological Assessment and Intervention in Transplant, Ben J. Lippe, PhD

This presentation is designed to educate participants regarding the nature of psychiatric illness and related psychosocial factors in the context of solid organ transplant. The role of mental health professionals in transplant services, including an overview of associated treatments, will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the relationship between mental health and medical health.
2. State the impact of psychiatric disease on transplant outcomes.
3. Outline role of mental health professionals in transplant services.

2:00 p.m.

Immunosuppresant Medications: Quick Hits, Sarah Wright, PharmD and Lisa Fuller, PharmD

Posttransplant immunosuppression management has evolved substantially over the years; however, this remains a complex field. With the successes of immunosuppressive therapies come the obligations to tailor treatments to meet the individual patient’s characteristics and to balance the risks and benefits of these medications. Balancing the risk of rejection with the risk of drug toxicity remains a challenge for the medical community. This session will address and compare effective use of the most updated protocols for immunosuppression in solid organ transplantation.

Learning Objectives:

1. State the advantages and disadvantages with using tacrolimus and tacrolimus extended release.
2. Outline recent study updates with use of belatacept.
3. Identify the benefits of eculizumab, bortezomib and rituximab for antibody rejection.
4. Describe antifungal interactions with calcineurin inhibitors.

2:45 p.m.

Break — Exhibits Open

3:00 p.m.

Liver Transplantation: Evaluation, Selection and Allocation, Thomas Kerr, MD, PhD

This session will provide an overview of the evaluation, candidate selection and listing process for liver transplantation. The organ allocation system and current liver transplant outcomes will also be reviewed.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the organ allocation system for liver transplantation.
2. State the liver transplant candidate selection process.
3. Discuss liver transplant outcomes.

3:30 p.m.

Cirrhosis and Hepatic Decompensation, Arji Mufti, MD

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the basic mechanisms of portal hypertension.
2. Recognize the typical presentations of complications of portal hypertension.
3. Review the management of complications of portal hypertension.
4. Summarize the indications for liver transplantation in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

4:00 p.m.

Update on Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Shannan Tujios, MD

Hepatitis C infection is a global public health issue with an estimated 170 million people infected worldwide and 3 million–7 million infected in the U.S., making it the primary indication for liver transplantation and the leading cause of liver-related death. Historically, HCV treatment was limited to pegylated interferon with ribavirin that had many side effects with variable sustained viral response rates of 15–80 percent depending on genotype, patient characteristics and degree of fibrosis. Since 2011, the treatment of HCV has rapidly changed with the approval of direct acting antivirals. Now safe and effective oral treatment is available for many pre- and posttransplant patients with greater than 95 percent cure rate. This session will review the epidemiology of HCV and the evolution of therapies, including liver transplant, to manage and treat this viral infection.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the epidemiology and natural history of HCV.
2. Describe the rationale of liver transplantation for the treatment of HCV.
3. Review optimal outcomes for HCV that can be achieved with well-tolerated, highly efficacious oral regimens.
4. Recognize that the role of HCV in transplantation is changing with advent of new therapeutic options.

4:30 p.m.

Taking the Guesswork Out of Marginal Donors: How to Make Better Choices Today and in the Future, Malcom MacConmara, MD

The shortage of donor organs has led transplant programs to extend their donor criteria. The use of marginal donors provides an immediate expansion of the donor pool. However, in order to optimize outcomes, careful attention should be paid to match the most appropriate graft-recipient pair. This session will review the issues and concerns surrounding the use of marginal donors and will identify factors that influence outcomes for these grafts.

Learning Objectives:

1. Summarize the complex and unique management issues required to optimize donors for liver transplantation.
2. Describe the best strategies for marginal donors.
3. Explain the novel method of liver machine perfusion in the assessment and utilization of donor livers.

5:00 p.m.

Adjourn

7:00 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast — Exhibits Open

8:00 a.m.

Welcome and Opening Remarks

8:15 a.m.

Recent Advances in Blood/Marrow Transplantation (BMT), Robert Collins, MD

Over the years BMT has been used with increasing frequency to treat numerous malignant and nonmalignant diseases. This session will provide an overview of recent approaches in BMT aimed to reduce toxicity, graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD), and relapse; increase donor availability; and bring precision to patient selection.

Learning Objectives:

1. Define reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) for allogeneic stem cell transplant.
2. Discuss recent trends in the use of alternative donors.
3. Review new approaches to GVHD prophylaxis and disease relapse.
4. Describe the use of new clinical tools that can assist in improving patient selection. 

8:45 a.m.

Management of Long-Term Survivors of BMT, Madhuri Vusirikala, MD

The long-term care of survivors of blood/marrow transplantation is complex, requiring coordinated care across many disciplines. This session will discuss late complications post blood/marrow transplantation, prevention and management of complications, screening, and follow-up guidelines for long-term survivors of both autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplant.
 
Learning Objectives:

1. List the delayed complications associated with post-stem-cell transplantation.
2. State the risk factors related to transplant complications.
3. Describe the recommendations for screening patients posttransplant.
4. Discuss the role of immunizations in post-stem-cell transplantation.
5. Outline the follow-up guidelines for long-term survivors of both autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

9:15 a.m.

Integrating Transplantation with Novel Therapies in Myeloma, Larry D. Anderson, MD, PhD

New therapies for multiple myeloma have dramatically improved life expectancy for patients with this disease. This session will provide an overview of myeloma therapy with an emphasis on the role of autologous stem cell transplant (SCT) and sequencing with novel therapies. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the role of SCT for myeloma in the current era of novel therapies.

9:45 a.m.

Break — Exhibits Open

10:00 a.m.

Management of Complex Psychosocial Issues in Blood/Marrow Transplantation Patients, Prapti Patel, MD

The psychosocial well-being and quality of life for transplant patients are key long-term goals for the transplant team, along with the prevention of psychosocial barriers and noncompliance-related behaviors. This session will review specific psychosocial issues that transplant patients face and management strategies to help patients overcome them.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the pre- and posttransplant process from a psychosocial standpoint.
2. Identify psychosocial barriers to stem cell transplantation and their effect on transplant outcomes.
3. Describe programs that are designed to assist patients as they move through the transplant process.

10:45 a.m.

Palliative Care, Tamara McGregor, MD

Learning Objectives:

1. Define palliative care and describe its basic principles.
2. Describe the models of palliative care delivery and their utilization.
3. State the barriers to effective care across settings.
4. Discuss the roles of family and healthcare disciplines in providing palliative care.

11:30 a.m.

Lunch (provided)

12:15 p.m.

Dessert Break — Exhibits Open

12:15 p.m.

Facility Tour (register to attend) >Learn more

1:15 p.m.

Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA): Why Is It Important? Chantale Lacelle, PhD, D(ABHI)

HLA matching is an important factor for a successful transplant. This session will provide an overview of the HLA system, explain key terms such as calculated panel reactive antibody (cPRA), donor specific antibody (DSA) and unacceptable antigens. It will also briefly explain how the cPRA is used in organ allocation and how HLA data is used in paired exchanged programs. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Appreciate the polymorphic nature of the HLA system.
2. Recognize the difference between sensitized and nonsensitized patients.
3. Define the concepts of cPRA, DSA and unacceptable antigens.
4. Describe how cPRA is used in the new United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) kidney allocation system.
5. Discuss how HLA data is used in paired exchanged programs.

1:45 p.m.

ABC of Transplantation in the Setting of New UNOS Allocation System, Miguel Vazquez, MD, and Bekir Tanriover, MD, MPH

The goal of the UNOS organ allocation system is to achieve a balance in organ allocation. This session will review outcomes of renal transplantation over the last decade, implications of the new UNOS deceased-donor kidney transplant allocation system and emerging trends to improve organ shortage.

Learning Objectives:

1. State kidney transplant outcomes.
2. Discuss the pros and cons of the new UNOS allocation system.
3. Describe the management of the organ shortage and its future direction.

2:45 p.m.

Living Donor Kidney Transplant, Christine Hwang, MD

Learning Objectives:

1. Define the eligibility criteria to become a living donor.
2. Identify the benefits of living kidney donation for the recipient.
3. State the risks of living kidney donation for the donor.

3:15 p.m.

Heart/Kidney Transplant Patient, Dana McCullough

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe each step of the transplant process from a patients perspective including the transplant evaluation, hospital and posttransplant experience.
2. Identify helpful questions for patients to ask during the transplant evaluation.
3. List helpful resources for patients undergoing organ transplantation.

4:00 p.m.

Closing Remarks/Adjourn