Interventional cardiologists from East Hospital share their expertise and experience at the international level

From 26 to 27 March 2026, Riga East University Hospital (East Hospital) hosted the 17^th international seminar titled ‘CTO day Riga East Clinical University Hospital’ or ‘Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) Day’, which demonstrates the high professionalism of its interventional cardiologists and their ability to share expertise with an international audience. The seminar brought together the leading interventional cardiologists from various countries.

The international seminar focuses on one of the most challenging conditions in interventional cardiology – chronic total occlusions of the coronary arteries – and the possibilities for treating these vascular blockages by restoring full blood flow to the heart muscle.

Artis Kalniņš, Head of the Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases Clinic at East Hospital and an interventional cardiologist, was among the first in Latvia to perform interventional treatment of fully occluded coronary arteries, introducing modern techniques learned in international centres and actively developing this field in Latvia.

Fully occluded coronary arteries, also known as chronic total occlusions, represent one of the most complex forms of coronary artery disease. However, their treatment does not involve an open surgery. It involves minimally invasive procedures using fine instruments inserted through the blood vessels. The challenge lies in the extremely small vessel diameter (the largest of them only around 3–4 mm) and the need to navigate long-standing, dense and calcified blockages in even narrower vessel segments. Such procedures require high precision, strong spatial awareness, and considerable patience, as they can be lengthy and technically demanding.

“Interventional cardiology is a field where theory alone is not enough. Practical skills and experience are what truly matter. They can be enhanced by collaborating with international experts and analysing real clinical cases,” highlights Artis Kalniņš, Head of the Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases Clinic at East Hospital.

The international seminar includes both lectures and practical demonstrations, and it brings together more than 50 participants from around the world. International experts include Stylianos Pyxaras (Germany), Masahisa Yamane (Japan), Shunsuke Matsuno (Japan), Jaroslaw Wojcik (Poland), Sergii Furkalo (Ukraine), Merouzhan Saghatelyan (Armenia), Peep Laanmets (Estonia), Andrej Pileckij (Lithuania), Arvydas Baranauskas (Lithuania), and Nenad Bozinovic (Serbia). Latvia was represented by the following interventional cardiologists: Dace Sondore, Vladimirs Osipovs, Aigars Lismanis, Deniss Vasiļjevs, and Kristīne Dombrovska.

The event was supported by a team of specialists from East Hospital which included Arveds Apinis, Jurijs Verbovenko, Vitālijs Grebjonkins, Irina Holste, Artjoms Lišņovs, and Guntis Lukstiņš.

As part of the seminar, live procedure masterclasses are held from 26 to 27 March. Demonstration procedures are performed by Stylianos Pyxaras (Germany), Shunsuke Matsuno (Japan), Masahisa Yamane (Japan), and the interventional cardiologists together with a multidisciplinary team from East Hospital.

The procedure masterclasses are also broadcast from Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital (Latvia), Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Clinics (Lithuania), Klaipėda University Hospital (Lithuania), the North Estonia Medical Centre Foundation (Estonia), and from JZU Bolnica Sveti Vračevi Bijeljina (Bosnia and Herzegovina). International experts commented live on the course of surgeries, sharing practical insights into solving complex clinical cases.

At the opening of the seminar, the Chairman of the Board of East Hospital, Vadims Beļuns, highlighted the important role of the hospital in the development of interventional cardiology. “This international seminar shows that East Hospital is not only a place where highly specialised care is provided, but also a platform for generating and sharing knowledge. The professionalism of our physicians and their ability to handle the most complex clinical cases allows us stand alongside leading European and global centres, while strengthening the international reputation of Latvian medicine,” emphasised Vadims Beļuns, Chairman of the Board.

In the Baltic States, the Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases Clinic of East Hospital is a leading centre for treating chronic total occlusions, and hosting such events further consolidates its leadership.

A selection of photos from the international interventional cardiology seminar is available at

https://www.flickr.com/photos/austrumu_slimnicas_foto/albums/72177720332748121/

About the East Hospital 

Riga East University Hospital is the largest and strategically significant multi-profile hospital in the country. The hospital consists of five inpatient facilities – Gaiļezers, Latvian Oncology Centre, Biķernieki, Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Centre, and Latvian Infectious Diseases Centre, along with various specialised centres and clinics. The hospital provides highly specialised inpatient and secondary outpatient healthcare, offering multidisciplinary tertiary-level treatment and care in line with modern technology and medical knowledge. Approximately 80% of all cancer patients in Latvia are treated at the hospital. It serves as a practical training base for both Latvian educational institutions and foreign students, providing further education and knowledge transfer to healthcare specialists within and beyond the country. The hospital engages in scientific research and develops innovative methods for patient treatment. As the third-largest employer in the country, the hospital employs around 5000 staff members.