Interventional nephrology training responds to the need for better vascular care globally
The global growth of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients has resulted in an increasing number surviving on renal replacement therapy. Hemodialysis remains a predominant form of renal replacement therapy. Providing optimal dialysis vascular access care remains a challenging task.
The birth of interventional nephrology represents a field dedicated to understanding and treating complex vascular access problems efficiently and effectively. Interventional nephrology training focuses on the fundamentals of vascular access, emphasizes the importance of team approach and provides avenues to master endovascular and surgical skills to improve overall care for CKD patients.
The Korean Society of Nephrology and the Japanese Society of Dialysis Access organized the Dialysis Access Symposium 2015, entitled “Optimizing Dialysis Access Care” in Seoul in August 2015 with Yong-Soo Kim as Chair and Takashi Sato as Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee.
ISN and the American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology (ASDIN) endorsed the meeting under their educational partnership agreement. The meeting was well attended by 286 attendees representing 13 countries. A total of 58 faculty members were invited from 10 countries (Japan 12, China 3, India 3, USA 3, Malaysia and Taiwan 2 each, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand 1 each and Korea 30). Tushar Vachharajani, David Voss and K. Sampathkumar took part, representing ISN and Gerald Beathard and Anil Agarwal represented ASDIN.
The Scientific Program included 52 lectures, free communications (9), poster presentations (74) and hands-on session on access evaluation using ultrasound and physical examination. Travel grant was provided to 4 young nephrologists and best abstract award was presented to 6 recipients.
The meeting was adjourned after a banquet dinner and plans to hold the next Dialysis Access Symposium for Asia-Pacific Region in Nagoya, Japan in 2017.
