The interdisciplinary and interactive school offers a comprehensive overview of innovative techniques introduced in cardiovascular surgery to critically compare them with established conventional procedures. In addition to the advantages offered by the implementation of innovative techniques, participants will be made aware of the potential risks, ambushes and pitfalls arising from a premature and imprudent adoption of these techniques in the clinical setting. The various aspects of cardiovascular syndromes requiring urgent and emergent treatment will be analysed, with special attention to the role of surgery, the various aspects of heart failure, the most recent diagnostic and therapeutic advances in the field, with special attention to the role of surgery in acute ventricular failure to aortic dissections, massive pulmonary embolism to mechanical complications of myocardial infarction, from valvular dysfunction and dehiscence to traumatic rupture of the aorta, etc. Participants will have the opportunity to gain an in-depth knowledge of the pathophysiological processes leading to the development of heart failure and will be equipped with the necessary information to apply current concepts for diagnosis, patient selection and optimisation of therapeutic strategies. Surgical options and techniques will be highlighted and discussed in depth.