Dear Colleagues,

It gives me great pleasure and honour to welcome you to the 22nd Annual Congress of the Association of the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Asia (ATCSA) to be held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, on the 15th to 18th November 2012.

The theme of this meeting is “1ASIA: Unity in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Care”. This is timely since the medical professionals practicing in the field of thoracic and cardiovascular medicine in Asia are becoming increasingly closer to each other, there is more collaboration between countries and hospitals, more expert panels within the Asian communities and greater awareness from other similar societies worldwide of our skills and knowledge.

An intensive range of topics has been lined up to stimulate the minds of our medical professionals and also enhance their knowledge and skills in this field. The Pre and Post Congress Workshops will highlight new technologies, hands-on wet-labs and advance course for surgeons in training including a special teaching programme for paramedical staff. The main congress itself will consist of the latest issues related to cardiac, vascular, paediatric and thoracic surgery including an update on new imaging techniques.

This meeting also brings opportunities for participants to renew contacts, exchange ideas, develop collaboration between each other or institutions and perhaps even initiate clinical trials.

There will be a trade exhibition displaying the latest pharmaceutical products, and state-of-the-art medical equipments.

For our regional and international friends, I invite you to enjoy Kota Kinabalu of Borneo Malaysia, fondly known as “Land Beneath the Wind” by ancient travellers, explore its diverse cultural heritage, witness its natural splendor and indulge in its tasty and appetizing seafood cuisine.

                Mohamed Ezani Md Taib, M.D.
          President, ATCSA 2013