Author: Lily Warden

The VCU Health Pauley Heart Center’s cardiothoracic surgery and vascular surgery teams hosted the 2026 Aortic and Cardiovascular Emergencies Symposium on Saturday, February 28 at Maymont Farm in Richmond, Virginia. This annual continuing education conference brought together cardiovascular health professionals from across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast to learn more about diseases of the aorta and related cardiovascular emergencies.

“The Aortic and Cardiovascular Emergencies Symposium continues to grow every year, and we are particularly proud of the program the team put on this year,” said Pauley vascular surgeon Daniel Newton, MD. “The participants helped drive truly productive patient-centered discussions on improving aortic care for everyone, and particularly for vulnerable populations.”

Newton and cardiothoracic surgeon Josue “Josh” Chery, MD, organized the event, which began with a keynote presentation from K. Benjamin Lee, MD, a vascular surgeon at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Lee’s lecture focused on the regionalization of aortic care, a growing practice in Europe that has shown to decrease mortality rates for abdominal aortic aneurysms and how this model might be incorporated into hospital systems within the United States.

The conference also featured presentations from Pauley faculty, including Zachary Fitch, MD; Robert Larson, MD; Barbara Lawson, MD; Patricia Nicolato, DO; and Ajay Pillai, MD, as well as faculty from other divisions within VCU Health, including interventional radiology and emergency medicine. Taken together, the presentations provided a comprehensive look at aortic and cardiovascular emergencies and outlined how different medical specialties can collaborate to provide emergent care for patients with aortic disease.

The symposium not only deepened attendees’ understanding of aortic and cardiovascular emergencies but also strengthened connections across specialties. Through shared learning and discussion, participants gained new insights they can bring back to their clinical practice to optimize patient care.