On 14–15 November, Tbilisi State Medical University hosted an international conference titled “Contemporary Issues in Emergency Medicine and Intensive Therapy.” The event addressed key current topics and challenges relevant to these fields today. The conference brought together internationally recognized, highly ranked scientists, specialists, experts, and clinicians working in emergency and critical care medicine. Within the framework of the event, Georgian and foreign experts exchanged cutting-edge knowledge, clinical experience, and innovative approaches. Among the conference’s distinguished guests was Baron Jean-Louis Vincent, President of the World Federations of Critical Care Medicine, Emergency and Intensive Therapy, Shock, and Sepsis. He is the author of globally implemented guidelines and protocols in these disciplines.
Representatives of the legislative and executive authorities attended the opening of the international forum. In their remarks, they emphasized that the development of emergency medicine and intensive therapy as critical branches of medical science has a direct impact on the advancement of the nation’s healthcare system.
The conference was organized by Professor Levan Ratiani, General Director of the First University Clinic of Tbilisi State Medical University, and Professor Luiza Gabunia, Head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at Tbilisi State Medical University.
Within the framework of the event, Levan Ratiani noted that, for the first time in our country, the President of the World Federation of Critical Care Medicine, Professor Jean-Louis Vincent has arrived. “Our goal is to establish a memorandum of cooperation with him, under which exchange programs for young physicians, as well as the support, implementation, and development of doctoral programs, and the planning of new scientific projects, will be carried out.”
The conference comprised three thematic sessions that addressed the management of acute cardiorespiratory failure, as well as contemporary aspects of the management of acute infections and shock in intensive therapy. Additionally, a masterclass was held on the topic: Medical Education in the United Kingdom in Intensive, Acute, and General Medicine, and the Specific Characteristics of Medical Specialties.
The invited speakers addressed several critically important issues in contemporary intensive therapy, including the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the importance of avoiding sedation in mechanically ventilated patients, and modern approaches to the hemodynamic management of shock states. Professor Knut Taxbro, Consultant in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine from Sweden, placed particular emphasis on the role of sedation in mechanically ventilated patients. According to him, evidence from recent years indicates that avoiding sedation significantly accelerates rehabilitation and improves recovery outcomes. He also highlighted the importance of the patient’s psycho-emotional state, especially in cases where patients remain conscious while on mechanical ventilation without sedation. In his presentation, the professor additionally underscored the essential contribution of intensive care nurses to patient care and rehabilitation.
Another important segment of the conference focused on the structure and specific characteristics of acute medicine in the United Kingdom. A comprehensive overview on this topic was delivered by Ekaterine Nandosvhili, Senior Acute Medicine Specialist at Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals. Her presentation addressed both the systemic models employed in London clinics and the structural and organizational aspects of acute medical services. The contemporary guidelines for the hemodynamic management of shock states were presented at the conference by Jean-Louis Vincent. The new recommendations emphasize the importance of the timely use of vasopressors in septic shock, particularly to improve organ and tissue perfusion. Professor Vincent highlighted that fluid therapy/infusion must be strictly personalized and tailored to each individual patient, as each patient has a unique hemodynamic profile and a “physiological” range of arterial blood pressure. He noted that one of the common issues in modern intensive therapy is excessive fluid loading. Therefore, fluid administration should be carefully assessed, taking into account the patient’s medical history, reactivity, and history of hypertension. Targeted therapy in intensive care often differs between non-hypertensive and hypertensive patients, and this distinction must be carefully considered in treatment planning.
Medscriptum interviewed Professor Luiza Gabunia, Head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at Tbilisi State Medical University. Professor Gabunia discussed the role of international conferences in advancing medicine and the healthcare sector, as well as recent developments in the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS):
What is the significance of conferences of this type in the field of emergency medicine and intensive therapy, and how do they broadly impact the development of the healthcare system?
Emergency medicine and intensive therapy represent critical fields of medical practice, where physicians and healthcare professionals work daily to save patients’ lives. Each life saved is of immense value and significance to the country, directly impacting national mortality rates. The organization and conduct of international meetings and conferences of this kind constitute a key strategy for the international integration of Georgia’s healthcare system, enhancing its scientific and academic potential, productivity, and global recognition.
Which key issues were addressed at the conference, and are any changes planned in the field of emergency medicine and intensive therapy following the exchange of international experience?
Any scientific or educational meeting be it a conference or a congress is fundamentally aimed at sharing the latest research findings, evidence, new knowledge, and clinical experience. This process ultimately leads to the implementation of best clinical practices. The international conference held on 14–15 November at Tbilisi State Medical University specifically addressed solutions to various challenging issues in the fields of emergency medicine and intensive therapy. Notably, the conference hosted distinguished international guests who are globally recognized, high-ranking scientists, researchers, and clinicians in emergency and intensive care medicine. Among them was Baron Jean-Louis Vincent, Head of the Department of Intensive Care at the Free University of Brussels and President of the World Federations of Sepsis, Shock, Emergency Medicine, and Intensive Therapy. During the conference, he presented the latest guidelines in critical care medicine for the first time, which represents a highly prestigious and significant achievement.
What is the latest news in the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)?
My presentation focused on contemporary issues in the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS is a respiratory pathology whose effective management remains a subject of debate and ongoing research. However, high-quality evidence indicates that personalized medicine plays a central role in its management, with targeted therapy tailored to the patient’s phenotype and endotype, alongside other supportive and symptomatic treatments. Such therapeutic agents include steroids, statins, anticoagulants, and vitamins, including vitamin D.
Following the event, Tbilisi State Medical University awarded the title of Visiting Professor to Professor Jean-Louis Vincent, Head of the Department of Intensive Care at the Free University of Brussels and President of the World Federation of Emergency Medicine and Intensive Therapy, as well as to Professor Mark Sutton-Smith, Clinical Director of Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals (London, United Kingdom).
