Dear Colleagues,
We are delighted to invite you to this year's Atrial Fibril lation (AF) Summit Vienna, a joint meeting organised by the Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Aortic Surgery and the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna/University Hospital Vienna. The AF Summit 2026 is officially endorsed by the Austrian Society of Cardiology (ÖKG).
The meeting is aimed at cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, general practitioners and all healthcare professionals involved in the care of patients with atrial fibrillation. It is a platform for presenting and discussing the latest developments in the multidiscip linary treatment of atrial fibrillation.
The scientific programme will focus on innovative catheter-based and surgical ablation techniques, contemporary hybrid strategies and current guidelines and clinical evidence. It will be complemented by interactive discussions and hands-on training.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Josephinum in Vienna.
Scientific Committee
Emilio Osorio, Christoph Schukro, Marek Ehrlich, Daniel Zimpfer
Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Aortic Surgery MedUni Vienna/University Hospital Vienna
Stefan Stojkovic, Robert Schönbauer, Christian Hengstenberg
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine II MedUni Vienna/University Hospital Vienna
Programm
1.00 – 1.10 pm
Opening
Christiane Druml, Josephinum and UNESCO-Chair for Bioethics at the Medical University of Vienna Daniel Zimpfer*, Christian Hengstenberg**
1.10 – 2.00 pm
Session 1 – How to manage the left atrial appendage in 2026
Chair: Alexander Geppert, 3rd Medical Department for Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Clinic Ottakring Marek Ehrlich* Ulrike Neuhold, Medical Department, University Hospital Krems
Left Atrial Appendage Exclusion – What the ESC Guidelines recommend
Thorsten Hanke, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart & Vascular Centre, Albertinen Hospital Hamburg
Concomitant endocardial LAA Occlusion – How and when
Martin Manninger-Wünscher, Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz
Concomitant epicardial LAA Occlusion – How and when
Piotr Suwalski, National Medical Institute of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, Warsaw
OAC after closure – Rapid-fire pro/con session
Pro: Laura Stix, Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz
Con: Timo Weimar, Sana Cardiac Surgery Stuttgart
2.00 – 2.30 pm
Break
2.30 – 4.00 pm
Session 2 – AF Ablation in 2026
Chair: Julian Keznickl-Pulst, 3rd Medical Department for Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Clinic Ottakring Emilio Osorio* Taemi Yoshida, Department of Cardiology, Clinic Landstraße
How to treat paroxysmal AF in 2026
Georgios Kollias, Department of Cardiology, Ordensklinikum Linz Elisabethinen
My approach to persistent AF ablation and when to perform hybrid – Who is suited?
Robert Schönbauer, Department of Medicine II, Division of Cardiology, MedUni Vienna/University Hospital Vienna
Hybrid AF ablation – How I do it
Mahmoud Wehbe, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Schüchtermann Klinik, Bad Rothenfelde
Anaesthesiological considerations for hybrid ablation
Christian Zenz, Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, MedUni Vienna/ University Hospital Vienna
Mapping and rhythm outcomes following hybrid ablation
Stefan Stojkovic**, Christoph Schukro*
Case corner
Azygos continuity
Michael Pfeffer, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Wr. Neustadt
Hybrid VT ablation
Stefan Stojkovic**, Rabab Saleh*
LAD stenosis and paroxysmal AF
Philipp Angleitner*, Barbara Karner*
4.00 – 4.20 pm
Break
4.20 – 6.00 pm
Session 3 – The future is now
Chair: Georgios Kollias, Department of Cardiology, Ordensklinikum Linz Elisabethinen Daniel Zimpfer* Dagmar Burkart-Küttner, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Hanusch Hospital Vienna
Faster, better, stronger? How an nsPFA catheter works
David Kenigsberg, Florida Heart and Vascular, Ft. Lauderdale
PFA in the operating room?
Niv Ad, Johns Hopkins University
VT ablation – Key takeaways for a successful EP programme
Martin Martinek, Department of Cardiology, Ordensklinikum Linz Elisabethinen
Hybrid VT ablation – Why and how (online)
Mark La Meir, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel
What are cardiac dysautonomia, IST and POTS? Advanced high-density mapping strategies
Luigi Pannone, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel
Emerging technologies
Piotr Suwalski, National Medical Institute of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, Warsaw
Closing remarks
Daniel Zimpfer*, Christian Hengstenberg**
6.00 – 7.00 pm
Workshops
- Impella CP-Implant (supported by J&J)
- MAZE-Simulation (supported by AtriCure)
- Appendage and Valve Management (supported by Medtronic)
- Mapping-Simulation (supported by Biosense Webster)
- ILR Implantation (supported by Biotronik)
* Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Aortic Surgery, MedUni Vienna/University Hospital Vienna
** Department of Medicine II, MedUni Vienna/University Hospital Vienna