It is a great honour and pleasure to invite you all in Leicester, to attend the 2017 Annual Meeting of ECHSA, the European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association!

ECHSA is celebrating its 25th Anniversary and this meeting will be open also to non members, creating a platform for everyone involved in the care of patients with Congenital Heart lesions to participate and exchange experiences - cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, anesthetists, intensivists, pathologists, researchers, perfusionists, nurses and technicians, are all invited and most welcome.

The scientific program will include, in keeping with ECHSA’s long tradition, “best and worse” case presentations, surgical video sessions, advanced research discussions, industry workshops and special invited lectures. Carl Backer, President to our sister American organization, the Congenital Heart Surgeons Society (CHSS), and Robert Anderson, the distinguished cardiac morphologist from the UK, will be our guest lecturers this year.

The program will include the best abstracts submitted by ECHSA Members as well as non-members for oral, video, or poster presentation, selected on merit by our Program Committee. Please submit your abstracts in due time and take the opportunity to contribute and share your work with all participants. We anticipate a great forum for scientific discussion!

The venue of the meeting will be Leicester, a cosmopolitan city in UK, rich in history and architecture, also prized for its environment. Good restaurants, first class shopping and a welcoming atmosphere will allow you to leisure and enjoy some free time in a truly unforgettable experience. Also, Leicester is easy to reach by any of 4 surrounding airports – East Midlands-Nottingham, Birmingham, London Luton and London Heathrow, all connected with international flights and easy to access.

A special Social Program will be available for delegates and accompanying persons with many attractions not to be missed!

We look very much forward to welcoming you in Leicester for a great scientific meeting and warm social interactions on 19th and 20th of May 2017.