The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had significant global impact on cardiothoracic transplantation. The ISHLT COVID-19 webinar will discuss various aspects of the pandemic on heart and lung transplantation using a case-based approach. Topics include infectivity of SAR-CoV-2, management of wait listed patients infected with or exposed to SARS-CoV-2, summary of recent COVID-19 therapeutic trials and implications for transplant recipients, and lung transplant evaluation and listing criteria for COVID-19 related respiratory failure. Faculty will be available for a live Q&A session.
 

Moderators: Fernanda Silveira, MD, and Stephan Ensminger, MD, DPhil

Welcome and Program Panel Introduction
Fernanda Silveira, MD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Case Presentation: Patient on the Waitlist with Persistent Positive PCR
Jonathan Hand, MD, Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, LA, USA

Infectivity of SARS-CoV-2
Shahid Husain, MD, MS, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
This talk will discuss the infectiousness and detection of SARS-CoV-2 with respect to incubation period as well as time and severity of illness with a focus on data regarding viral cultures and PCR results.

Waitlist Management of Patients Infected With or Exposed To SARS-CoV-2
Enrico Ammirati, MD, PhD, Asst Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
The infectiousness of SARS-CoV-2 is of particular clinical relevance in waitlisted candidates with COVID-19 who resolve symptoms of infection but continue to have positive PCRs and the timing of waitlist activation. Additionally, the speaker will discuss inactivation of patients on the waitlist with known exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19.

Case Presentation: Transplant Recipient With COVID-19
Paola Morejon Barragan, MD, Instituto Argentino de Diagnostico y Tratamiento, Buenos Aires, Argentina

COVID-19 Targeted Therapies
Robin Avery, MD, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA
This presentation will focus on clinical trials for management of COVID-19 and take home messages from these trials that are pertinent to transplant recipients, as well as recommendations for immunosuppression management (especially if a patient receives dexamethasone).

Case Presentation: Non-Transplant Patient with COVID-19 Related Respiratory Failure
Caroline Patterson, BMBS BMedSci MD, Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Lung Transplant for COVID-19
Konrad Hoetzenecker, MD, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
This talk will discuss evaluation and listing criteria for patients with COVID-19 related ARDS as well as surgical challenges and post-transplant immunosuppression.

Moderated Q&A Segment with All Speakers
Led by Stephan Ensminger, MD, DPhil, University of Lubeck, Lubeck, Germany

ISHLT COVID-19 Task Force Update
Saima Aslam, MD, MS, UCSD, San Diego, CA, USA
COVID-19 Task Force Chair

ISHLT Announcements
Greg Schultz, CEO, ISHLT, Addison, TX, USA
 

Continuing Education Information

Learning Objectives – at the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to discuss:

• Various aspects of the pandemic on heart and lung transplantation
• The infectiousness and detection of SARS-CoV-2
• Inactivation of patients on the waitlist with known exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19
• Clinical trials for management of COVID-19 and take-home messages from these trials
• Recommendations for immunosuppression management
• Evaluation and listing criteria for patients with COVID-19 related ARDS as well as surgical challenges and post-transplant immunosuppression
   

Target Audience – The target audience for the November webinar session includes physicians, surgeons, scientists, pharmacists, nurses, transplant coordinators and other allied health and social science professionals engaged in the management and treatment of patients with advanced heart or lung disease, basic science or clinical research related to these fields, or other specialties which cause them to become involved in the treatment of patients with advanced heart or lung disease.

Activity Designed to Change – This activity is designed to change knowledge, competence and performance.

Learning Attributes   Patient Care and Medical Knowledge

Disclosures – Current guidelines state that participants in continuing medical and allied health professional education activities must be made aware of any affiliation or financial interest that may affect the program content or a speaker’s presentation. Planners, Faculty and Chairs participating in this meeting are required to disclose to the program audience any real or apparent conflict(s) of interest related to the content of their presentation or service as Chair/Planner. Disclosures will be distributed in the Learner Notification that you receive as a participant prior to the live virtual session. Additionally, all speakers have been asked to verbally disclose at the start of their presentation any financial interest or affiliations and to indicate if a product they are discussing is not labeled for the use under discussion or is still investigational.

Disclaimer – The information presented in this activity represents the opinion of the faculty and is not necessarily the official position of the ISHLT.

Documenting CME Credits – The ISHLT provides CME certificates to those who have participated in an ISHLT educational activity. The ISHLT does not submit credits to regulating bodies or certifying organizations on behalf of the participants. It is the participants responsibility to submit proof of credits on his or her own behalf.