In the past 25 years the burgeoning subspecialty of interventional cardiology has transformed the treatment of patients with cardiovascular disease. Lesser-invasive, percutaneous, catheter-based therapies have rapidly evolved and have become the standard-of-care around the world, eclipsing surgical and medical therapies in symptomatic patients with coronary artery disease. The evolution of these new treatment standards has required a commitment from global thought leaders and academic centers to advanced operator techniques, evidence-based medicine, and educational programs. Importantly, only very few exceptional medical centers have the capabilities to serve as regional “centers of excellence”. The Asan Medcial Center in Seoul, Korea and the associated CardioVascular Research Foundation (CVRF) have been shining symbols of “leadership by example” in the field of interventional cardiology in the Asia-Pacific region for more than a decade.

The Asan Medical Center interventional program, under the strong guidance of Dr. Seung-Jung Park has achieved international reknown as a state-of-the-art clinical facility practicing the very highest standards of interventional vascular therapy. The Angioplasty Summit hosted by the Asan Medical Center was established more than 10 years ago and remains as the premier educational event in Asia-Pacific – combining practical physician and nursing teaching experiences with important academic presentations. More than 2,000 attendees from around the world, but principally from Asia-Pacific, view this educational symposium as an essential annual event which links the region to the international community of interventional physicians. Most recently, the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (New York) has actively co-sponsored this important symposium, which now carries the designation, “TCT Asia-Pacific”. With live case transmissions from around the world, an international faculty of more than 200 experts, and innumerable didactic lectures and practical workshops, TCT Asia-Pacific will undoubtedly grow and respond to the ever-changing educational needs of interventional cardiology.

Importantly, knowledge in medicine and changes in clinical practice are greatly dependent on research, and research requires a rigorous infrastructure which supports the execution of evidence-based medicine clinical trials. CVRF has been the vehicle for managing numerous important clinical trials which have impacted the global understanding of critical questions in interventional cardiology. Notable examples include first-in-man experiences with drug-eluting stents and the optimal treatment of unprotected left main coronary stenosis. Now we are embarking on a unique collaboration between CRF in the United States and CVRF in Korea to plan, organize, and execute the COMBAT trial. This multicenter randomized clinical trial involving more than 1,700 patients from 75 international sites compares two treatment strategies in patients with left main disease – coronary artery bypass surgery and sirolimus-eluting stents. The results of this study, led by our pioneering colleagues from CVRF will certainly determine the optimal future treatment around the world of these critically ill patients.

We are honored to participate each year in TCT Asia-Pacific and to actively collaborate with our esteemed colleagues from CVRF and the Asan Medical Center. In the near future, we anticipate that major influences in cardiovascular therapy will mushroom from the Asia-Pacific region and we are hopeful that we can share experiences to enhance in these revolutionary changes. We are confident that everyone who attends TCT Asia-Pacific this year and is exposed to CVRF educational materials will greatly augment their professional medical skills for the purpose of improving healthcare for their patients.