Dear Colleagues, Dear Friends,

It is a great honour and pleasure for me to address you once more as the Co-founder and Vice Chancellor of the Euro Asian Bridge Society. This society is a unique platform which brings cardiovascular surgeons around the world together. Founded as a local society at the beginning I am very much pleased to see colleagues from all parts of the world showing interest in our activities.
The father of the association is Dr Prapas my good friend and I was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time when he proposed to me to be the co founder of the association. I am very glad that I accepted his offer.
Our society has prospered during the years with more than 15 international meetings in various countries. Our previous meeting in Romania was a true success and I would like to thank Prof Tinica for what he has achieved.
I wish all of you a happy and healthy year and look forward to seeing you in our next meeting.

Prof Dr Belhhan Akpinar
Vice Chancellor
of the Euro Asian Bridge Society

Dear colleagues,

It is my great honor to welcome you to the 14th Annual Meeting of the Euro-Asian Bridge Society for Cardiovascular Surgery, which will take place in Athens on the 8-10th of November 2018. This time the meeting will be hosted in the founding country of our Society and will also be a part of the “Athens Crossroad” along with the 2018 ISMICS Workshop, the 12th Congress of the Hellenic Society of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons and the 2nd World meeting of the Greek Cardiothoracic Diaspora.

In a changing world, the role of the EAB Society Meeting has become even more important, spreading a peaceful message and being the field of joining people by exchanging scientific knowledge and ideas.

The Athens Crossroad will take place at Zappeion Megaron of Athens under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Democracy. With the vehicle of the EAB, leading Cardiothoracic Surgeons of the five Continents will gather and present their work in a warm environment under the Greek hospitality. The participation will be primed with credits of continuous medical education (CME). Along the Meeting, participation and round tables from anesthetists, vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, perfusionists, staff nurses and students have been arranged as well as wet labs in the field of Cardiothoracic and Vascular surgery.   
The Euro-Asian Society has matured scientifically, has increased in population and expanded geographically. In 2017 we launched a peer –reviewed open access journal, focused on bringing together the up-to-date information regarding the surgical fields, medicine and pharmacology.  We would like to encourage you all to submit your work online. All researchers are welcome to submit manuscripts for EAJSM free of charge using the online submission form available at www.euroasianbridgesociety.org/journal

After the so successful and memorable meeting in Iasi, Romania, I welcome you to the founding country of the Society for a creative and joyful meeting of the Bridge that eliminate geographic and scientific gaps.

Panagiotis Dedeilias
President 2018
Euro-Asian Bridge Society for Cardiovascular Surgery

Dear colleagues,

We are pleased and honored to welcome you to the 14th Annual Congress of Euro-Asian Bridge Society. We are also delighted to be presented with the opportunity to host this Congress in the Capital of Greece, Athens.
Athens has always been one of Greece’s most major cities. For that reason it will provide you with an insight into the Greek civilization. In case you can spare some of your time, please feel free to visit some of the museums and art galleries with a view to diving into the Greek culture and civilization. As most of you already know, Greece has made a huge impact in the science of medicine and it is the homeland of some of the founders of medicine.
As established by our predecessors, the Congresses that are organized by the Euro-Asian Bridge Society are meetings during which a plethora of scientists from all around the world are gathered in order to achieve a common goal: Stay in touch with the latest advances in the field of Cardiac & Thoracic Surgery. These meetings include the presentation of breakthroughs in the field of Cardiac & Thoracic Surgery, commentaries on real-life-cases and they generally introduce Cardiac & Thoracic Surgeons to all of the innovative techniques that are being used in Cardiac & Thoracic Surgery.
Given the huge success of the 13th Annual Congress of Euro-Asian Bridge Society, we can only hope to reach the same level of sophistication and maintain the highest scientific standard possible, as each and every single of the previous organizers have done over the years.
We would like to thank, from the bottom of our hearts, the Organizing Committee and everyone that has helped with the hard task of making this Congress happen. Your help was of utmost importance.
Furthermore, we would like to kindly remind you and to endorse you to submit your abstracts, announcements and suggestions by clicking on the following link : www.athenscrossroad.com
In the hopes of creating an unforgettable event, we are blessed to welcome you in the heart of Greece for the beginning of yet another scientific journey. Thank you for being a part of it.

Kosmas Tsakiridis
Co-Scientific Chairman
14th Annual Meeting
Euro-Asian Bridge Society

Dear Colleagues,

Heritage is a powerful determinant and exerts a profound influence upon us.
Education and Medicine have always been amongst the highest ideals and aspirations within the Hellenic psyche.
Those of us in the Diaspora are proud of, and drawn to, this heritage and welcome opportunities to contribute to the Hellenic legacy.
Many in the Diaspora, in the cardiac field, are fortunate to be at the forefront of new knowledge, technologies, and techniques.
This combined meeting of 4 important Thoracic and Cardiovascular Societies is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and interact with colleagues, contribute, share, and learn, and in our individual, often small but ultimately important ways, help shape the medical future – including that in Greece – for the improved thoracic and cardiovascular care of our patients
As the title (and theme) of the meeting states – we are at the "crossroads" – geographically and philosophically. Changes in patient demographics, risk profile and transition from open surgery to less invasive percutaneous and catheter interventions make this a transformative turning point.
I warmly invite and encourage Thoracic and Cardiovascular surgeons, including those in the Diaspora, to attend this meeting where your participation, ideas, and contributions will be warmly received
Sincerely,

James Tatoulis AM, MB, BS, MS, MD, FRACS, FCSANZ
Vice President
Greek Cardiovascular and Thoracic Diaspora

Dear members, friends and distinguished guests

On behalf of the Hellenic Cardiothoracic Society of Diaspora I would like to welcome you not only to an ever exciting conference in Cardiothoracic surgery but to the wonderful city of Athens.
The program committee has put together an exciting scientific program which I am sure will meet everyone’s expectations.
As always the fraternity of the Greek Cardiothoracic surgeons will be there to support and honor this conference, offering their scientific acumen but most of all their passion and enthusiasm to support every scientific event in our motherland.
We are confident that during the Conference, Athens, with its beauty and long heritage, its local residents and our members will provide the best ‘ingredients’ for a meeting to be long remembered by its delegates and the city itself.

Kostas Papagiannopoulos MD, MMED THORAX, CTH
President ESTS
Co-Chairman
Greek Cardiovascular and Thoracic Diaspora

Dear colleagues,

The participation at this year's 12th Panhellenic Congress of the Hellenic Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons (HCTSS) of numerous experienced and academically well-established cardiac surgeons from abroad, in conjunction with the co-organization of three major international congresses (2018 ISMICS Winter Workshop, 14th Annual Meeting of the Euro-Asian Bridge Society of Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeons and 2nd Meeting of the Greek Diaspora) guarantee a top-level scientific meeting in Cardiothoracic Surgery and a unique opportunity for continuing education, exchange of views and international scientific networking within the boundaries of the country. At the same time, it is considered self-evident to preserve the Greek character of the Congress and to highlight the recent achievements of Greek Cardiac Surgery, which in times of hardship continue to offer Greek cardiac patients a high-level service.
Our specialty, despite the many pessimistic voices, I do not think it is fading but is experiencing a period of intense transformation, benefiting from the stunning technological advances of recent years. It is our duty not only to adapt and enthusiastically accept these developments but to pioneer and inspire new colleagues to follow us on the magical path of cardiac surgery of the 21st century.
I am convinced that this year's Congress will be a landmark for achieving our high goals and an inspiration for all of us.

Dimitrios C. Angouras, MD, FETCS
Co-Chairman H.C.T.S.S.
Cardiac Division

Dear colleques,

It' s a great honor and pleasure to wellcome you to the 12th Gongress of the Greek Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons.
I hope that the contribution of our team effort will thrive and meet your high scientific aspirations.
Your presence will be a catalyst for the successful outcome and a thorough analysis of all scientific issues. The technological developments are growing rapidly and we ought to ourselves to grew up with them!

Dimitrios Filippou MD, PhD
Co-Chairman H.C.T.S.S.
Thoracic Division