Acknowledgements

The Course organizers would like to express their special thanks to Professor Sir Magdi YACOUB, the Course Director for his strong support in last 18 years, for his exceptional friendship and feeling for education in cardiology, cardiac surgery and in the releated basic science as well. Without his leadirship, inviting the faculty members, and active participation on the events the first Course „Aortic Root Surgery“ in 2005 as well as this on the „East European Heart Valve Postgraduate Course“  in 2007 would never come thruth.

The contribution of Society for Heart Valve Disease and the European Association of Tissue Banks was essential as well. These scientific organizations auspices attracted a lot of foreign participants to attend.

Local scientific organizations the Czech Society of Cardiac Surgery and the Czech Society of Cardiology were very helpful and quaranteed the course from the point of view of Czech educational and legal system.

The course organizers remain very much indebted to GENERAL PARTNERS – Edwards Lifesciences and E-on.

Edwards Lifesciences were extremely helpful not only with the direct sponsorship, but their support of the scientific program (invited speakers) was essential as well.

We do also very much respect the effort of the E-on (The Integrated Power and Gass Company) to help the education in the fascination field of cardiology & cardiac surgery in the East European Region.

The contribution of MAIN PARTNER and PARTNER was extremely important as well! The Thermal Power Station České Budějovice and Konstantinovy Lázně Spa did a very good job.

All SPONZORS (in alphabetical order) – Arrow, Biomedica, CS, Budweiser, Cardion, České; Budějovice Town Hall, Cheiron, ETHICON Johnson & Johnson company, Hospimend, Kardiocentrum České Budějovice Foundation, Kryo, Lineq, Pfizer, Stylmed, SUBARU, and ZENTIVA were very important for the Course success as well.

State of the art technical support was secured by MediaConsult Ltd. The telebridge, whole communication system and data projection worked error free all the time.

The surgical quality of life operation broadcast was quaranted by Consultant Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Jaroslav HLUBOCKÝ; (Prague), Director of Photography.

Website has been provided by Polysoft Ltd, Prague 5.

Internet and printed materials design was carefylly prepared by:

Artist Josef MOKRÁČEK (Hlučín)

Graphic Layout by Robert RYTINA, VR Atelier Ltd. (Prague 9 – Vinoř)

Special thanks shoud be expressed to the Police Czech Republic (Bureau of the South Bohemian Region)!

For explanation – the Course venue was the Exhibition Centre České Budějovice, which is more than 2 kilometers away from the Regional Hospital Česke Budějovice Inc., where the cardiac surgical operations were performed. For the patients‘ safety the operating surgeons (Course Director Professor Sir Magdi YACOUB & Professor Gilles DRYFUS) as well as local organizers were escorted by safe & fast traffic police car through the town center rush crossings.

At last but not least we would like to express our thanks to the medical and non-medical staff of the Regional Hospital České Budějovice Inc. for preparing perfect conditions for top cardiac surgery, patients care, helpful athmosphere for operation surgeons, and technical conditions for the telebridge.

Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, May 2008