CSI Foundation

Structural, Valvular & Congenital
Heart Interventions Worldwide

Dedicated to promoting development in the field of structural, valvular and congenital heart interventions worldwide.

Find out more about what we do >>

About US

Years ago, many patients with structural, congenital or valvar heart disease suffered from issues that carried fatal prognoses. However, since the first successful transcatheter closure of an ASD in 1975, the field of interventional cardiovascular therapeutics has developed to a point where catheter-based percutaneous treatment of heart disease in alert, awake patients has become the norm in most places. What does this mean for patients? A minimally-invasive, catheter-based, nonsurgical treatment of congenital, valvar and structural cardiovascular disorders, previously left untreated or referred to surgical therapy alternatives, often carrying higher risks.

Yet, the field of structural, congenital and valvar heart interventions is still in its infancy. Rapid developments have been made possible by the close cooperation between physicians and industry and the number and complexity of the procedures available today is still growing. Additionally, there remains a large potential to further develop infrastructure, training and treatment within many regions.

The CSI Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that has been formed to aid the development of this field worldwide. Primarily, we aim to achieve this by encouraging and promoting research in the field and by providing training initiatives and educational opportunities to doctors, technicians and nurses. We support and promote global and multidisciplinary collaboration, particularly in regions that currently lack progress and infrastructure for diagnosis and effective treatment.

All of these activities are made possible with the support of our members, corporate partners, affiliates and through private donations.

CSI Foundation Board

The individuals highlighted below make up the CSI Foundation Board:

President: Shakeel Qureshi, Evelina Children’s Hospital, London, United Kingdom

Vice President: Horst Sievert, CardioVascular Center Frankfurt CVC, Frankfurt, Germany

Vice President: Neil Wilson, Childrens Hospital Colorado, Colorado, United States

Vice President: Mario Carminati, Policlinico Sa Donato IRCCS, Milan, Italy

Trustee: Stefan Bertog, CardioVascular Center Frankfurt CVC, Frankfurt, Germany & Minneapolis VA Medical Center, Minneapolis, United States

Trustee: Sameer Gafoor, CardioVascular Center Frankfurt CVC, Frankfurt, Germany & Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, United States

Trustee: Gurleen Sharland, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom

Trustee: Bushra Rana, Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Further information on each individual will be provided in the near future.

Read more about
>> becoming a member
>> coporate membership
>> making a donation

Africa

The Africa chapter is a side branch of the CSI Foundation with a focus on the development of structural, valvar and congenital heart interventions on the African continent. There is a huge capacity for improvement in the infrastructure for diagnosis and effective treatment in Africa as well as a need for improved collaboration and training of African cardiologists.

One of the projects of the Africa Chapter is CSI Africa, which has already started as a two day annual conference in Arusha, Tanzania in 2014 and another one in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in December 2015. In just two years, it has turned into a very successful meeting with more than 100 attendees from all African regions. We have received very positive feedback and expect CSI Africa to grow even more in the future.

>> click here to read more about CSI Africa

CSI Africa Mission Statement:

Education – provide educational opportunities to doctors and nurses in Africa in the field of structural, congenital and valvar cardiac interventions relevant to their current and future working environment
Training – provide a forum for updating practical skills with a focus on the specific needs in Africa
Networking – provide a forum for networking opportunities for doctors and nurses to make contact with other medical practitioners in Africa as well as international faculty members of CSI
Research – provide help and advice on research and publication in international journal based on research carried out in Africa

If you are interested in supporting the CSI Foundation Africa Chapter, please send us an e-mail >>

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