On June 26-27, 2026, the 4th International Congress of Interventional Cardiology, GAIC 2026, will be held in Tbilisi at the Georgian National University SEU. The event brings together leading specialists from Georgia, Germany, Serbia, Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, and aims to share contemporary knowledge, experience, and practical approaches in interventional cardiology.<\/p>\n
The congress will be particularly distinguished by the fact that this year, for the first time, it will be held under the accreditation of the European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology. This means that the audience will be able to receive certificates issued by EBAC, which further elevates the Caucasus region in the international medical arena. At the same time, the congress will not be presented solely in a lecture format. The program includes masterclasses, clinical case reviews, practical workshops, panel discussions, and a regional competition for young interventional cardiologists. During the congress, emphasis will be placed on two main directions: coronary interventions and modern methods of managing structural heart diseases.<\/p>\n
Medscriptum spoke with the President of the Georgian Interventional Cardiology Association, Mr. Zviad Kereselidze, regarding the significance of the congress and the main innovations of the program. According to him, the primary function of the congress is that it represents an international educational platform, which serves to bring high-level experts to Georgia and increase local specialists’ access to modern knowledge.<\/p>\n
“This is the fourth international congress, which implies bringing high-level speakers in interventional cardiology from Europe and the countries of the region. Germany remains the main contributor this year as well, though Serbia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia are also involved,” notes Mr. Zviad.<\/p>\n
He further explains that the congress covers two main areas: “We divide interventional cardiology into two parts: coronary, meaning direct vascular interventions, and structural, meaning valve interventions using percutaneous, transcatheter approaches, such as TAVI, MitraClip, and others.”<\/p>\n
Day One<\/b> On the first day of the congress, the program will be dedicated to the management of bifurcation lesions, complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), modern calcium management techniques, and clinical case discussions by young interventional cardiologists. Participants will have the opportunity to hear about topics such as modern bifurcation PCI, the use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in calcium assessment, rotational atherectomy, intravascular lithotripsy, and practical discussions of complex coronary cases.<\/p>\n
Day Two<\/b> The second day will be fully dedicated to the field of structural heart diseases, with a major focus on TAVI, i.e., Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation. Mr. Zviad explains that this choice is not accidental: “We dedicated a part of the program entirely to the direction of TAVI because many clinics in Georgia are already starting to implement this procedure, and the state is also partially involved in its development.” The congress will feature a TAVI CT planning masterclass, complex anatomy cases, prevention and management of complications, as well as educational cases presented in the Live-in-a-Box format. In this format, the procedure is pre-recorded, and an expert will explain each stage in detail\u2014what is happening, why it is happening, and how a doctor should act in various clinical situations. “We will not have live cases, but all stages of the procedure will be presented in the Live-in-a-Box format, where a proctor and an expert will explain what is being done and how. The emphasis will be on the prevention and management of complications, and proper actions during complex anatomy,”<\/p>\n
Guests of the Congress<\/b> The guests of the congress are leading specialists from Europe and the region. Among them: Professor Goran Stankovic from Serbia, Dr. Thomas Schmitz from Germany, Professor Nicolas von Beckerath from Germany, Dr. Muhammed Saadi, Dr. Levent Korkmaz, and Dr. Teoman Kilic from Turkey, as well as experts from Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia. The participation of Professor Goran Stankovic is worthy of special mention: “Goran Stankovic is considered one of the serious figures in the direction of modern coronary interventions. He is associated with the European Society of Cardiology and EuroPCR, which is a very high-level international congress.” In total, more than 30 speakers, panelists, and session chairs will participate in the congress. 16 Georgian interventional cardiologists are included in the program.<\/p>\n
What’s New?<\/b> One of the main innovations of this year’s congress is the regional session for young interventional cardiologists. Young doctors from Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan will participate in it, presenting complex PCI cases. The presented cases will be evaluated by international experts, and the author of the best presentation will receive a special award. “This is a start for the region to experience more engagement and for us to involve young doctors more actively. This year there will be six young doctor participants: two from Georgia, two from Armenia, and two from Azerbaijan,”<\/p>\n
EBAC International Accreditation and its Significance<\/b> Another important achievement of GAIC 2026 is the international accreditation by EBAC \u2014 European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology. This means that the educational quality of the congress has been evaluated according to European criteria, and participants will be awarded international educational credits. Zviad Kereselidze explains that EBAC accreditation is not just a formal recognition: “This elevates the level and qualitative direction of the congress twofold. EBAC evaluates the level of speakers, the program, the organizational structure, sponsorship rules, and the entire educational process.” According to him, EBAC credits enjoy high trust in Georgia: “Our Regulation Agency and the Ministry of Health automatically recognize the EBAC score as a continuing medical education point. This means that trust toward this activity is quite high.” Considering that EBAC accreditation has been obtained by only one or two organizations in the Caucasus region, this carries immense significance for the region and the specialists employed here.<\/p>\n
What Challenges Does the Congress Address?<\/b> The congress addresses challenges that are relevant to Georgia. Interventional cardiology is developing rapidly, yet access to modern technologies, international experience, and high-quality practical training remains one of the main needs. The direction of TAVI is particularly important, as the implementation and development of this procedure in Georgia is in an active phase, and doctors need both technical knowledge and international experience in complication prevention and management. GAIC 2026 responds to this need not with a theoretical, but with a practice-oriented format. The congress creates a space where Georgian doctors directly meet international experts, discuss real cases, receive feedback, and learn about the standards used today in European interventional cardiology.<\/p>\n
The event will be conducted entirely in English with simultaneous translation. For participants, registration is available with or without credit points by choice. According to the organizers, places are limited, as interest in the congress grows every year. In my opinion, as a person particularly interested in this field, GAIC 2026 demonstrates once again that Georgia has established itself as an important center for professional education and international cooperation in interventional cardiology within the region. The congress is a platform not only for sharing knowledge but also for supporting the future generation, implementing new technologies, and bringing Georgian cardiology even closer to European standards.<\/p>\n
Official registration for the international congress has opened. To learn about registration rules and to register, visit: georgiapcr.ge\/ka\/340\/<\/p>\n