--- title: "Awards" description: "The Vascular Access Society of the Americas (VASA) is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to enhancing dialysis access care through education, research, and advocacy. Join VASA for expert-led events, access the Journal of Vascular Access, and connect with professionals committed to advancing" url: "https://vasamd.org/about/awards" date: "2026-06-20T19:10:21+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- # Awards ## 2024 - **Posters Presentation, 1st Place** Alan Glowczwski, MD — "Effect of a Novel Cannulation Device for Vascular Access on AVF Maturation in a Goat Carotid-Jugular Fistula Model" - **Posters Presentation, 2nd Place** Ammar Almehmi, MD — "The Dark Side of Endovascular Arteriovenous Fistula: A Call for Precaution" - **Posters Presentation, 3rd Place** Alexis Garcia, MD — "Maximizing Use of Vascular Resources for Autogenous Arteriovenous Fistula Creation" - **Trainee Podium Presentation, 1st Place** Melissa Cruz, BS — "Safety of Uninterrupted Anticoagulation in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis Access Creation with Regional Anesthesia" - **Trainee Podium Presentation, 2nd Place** Amen Kiani — "Snuff Box Arteriovenous Fistula as the First Choice: A Single Center Review" - **Trainee Podium Presentation, 3rd Place** Atlee Baker — "Is There a Minimum for Flow Volume Necessary to Provide Adequate Dialysis?" ## 2022 - **Best Poster, 1st Place:** Ifeanyi Okereke, MD — "Managing AV Access Related Cutaneous Malignancies" - **Best Poster, Honorable Mention:** Michael Tal, MD — "'March N’ Bend' Technique for Ultrasound Guided Access to the Distal Radial Artery" - **Resident Presentation Competition, 1st Place:** Muhammad Hafeez, MD — "Comparing Post-Maturation Outcomes of Arteriovenous Grafts and Fistulas" - **Resident Presentation Competition, 2nd Place:** Patrick Heindel, MD — "Bovine Carotid Artery Xenografts in Hemodialysis Access Revision" - **Open Presentation Competition, 1st Place:** Monnie Wasse, MD — "First in Human Evaluation of a Novel Biologic Regenerative Vascular Conduit for Hemodialysis Access" - **Open Presentation Competition, 2nd Place:** Linda Liu, BA — "Development of an Ex Vivo Bioreactor System to Model Arteriovenous Fistula Hemodynamics" - **Open Presentation Competition, 3rd Place (Tie):** Karl Illig, MD — "Initial Experience with the Surfacer Device for Intrathoracic Outflow Occlusion: Mid-term Results" Adina Voiculescu, MD — "Real Life Outcomes of Endo-AVFs in a Tertiary Care Clinical Center with High Autogenous Access Creation" ## 2018 - **Best Resident Abstract:** Alonso Diaz, MD — "Significance of a Protocol Based Arteriovenous Dialysis AccessSite Maintenance Program" - **Best Poster, 1st Place:** Cesar D. Cuen-Ojeda, MD — "Hemodialysis Access Creation in Systemic Lupus Erythematous Patients. What is the Optimal Alternative?" - **Best Poster, 2nd Place:** George A.Blessios, MD, PhD, FACS — "Effects of Preoperative Inflow Artery Volume Flow Measurements to the Outcome of Arteriovenous Fistula Creation" - **Best Poster, 3rd Place:** Ulf Krueger, PhD — "Boone and Bane of the Thrill" ## 2016 - **Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 1st Place:** Will Chapman, MD — "Cephalic Vein Fistulae in the Arm: Does Site Determine Long Term Outcome?" - **Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 2nd Place:** Emma Aitken, MD — "Does Regional Compared to Local Anesthesia Influence Outcome After Arteriovenous Fistula Creation? A Multi Centre Randomized Controlled Trial" - **Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 3rd Place:** Patrick McGlynn, MD — "Vein Mapping-Related Contrast Dye Exposure, Contrast Induced Nephropathy, and time to Dialysis in CKD Patients" ## 2014 - **Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 1st Place:** Angela L. Gucwa, MD — "Description and Outcomes of a Simple Surgical Technique for Treating Arteriovenous Fistula Pseudo-aneurysms" - **Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 2nd Place:** John Yerxa — "The Role of Exogenous Nitrates in Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation" - **Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 3rd Place:** Emma L. Aitken, MD — "A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Continuous to Interrupted Sutures for Radiocephalic Arteriovenous Fistulae" ## 2012 - **Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 1st Place:** Sean Hislop, MD — "Transaxillary First Rib Resection for Fistula Salvage: Does It Work?" - **Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 2nd Place:** Roberto Iglesias, MD — "The Management of Dysfunctional Prosthetic Arteriovenous Accesses by Interventional Nephrologists and Surgeons. A Comparison of Outcomes" - **Award for Best New VASA Slogan:** Angela Barnett — “Access Excellence” ## Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://vasamd.org" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Awards", "item": "https://vasamd.org/about/awards" } ] } ``` ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://vasamd.org/about/awards#organization2", "name": "Vascular Access Society of the Americas", "alternateName": "Agentis", "legalName": "Agentis Management", "email": "info@vasamd.org", "url": "https://vasamd.org", "telephone": "(859) 977-7457", "foundingDate": "2004-01-01", "logo": "https://vasamd.org//images/gsd.png", "image": "https://vasamd.org//images/gsd.png", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 205, Frankfort, Kentucky", "postalCode": "40601" } } ``` ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://vasamd.org/about/awards" }, "headline": "Awards", "description": "Awards 2024 Posters Presentation, 1st Place Alan Glowczwski, MD — "Effect of a Novel Cannulation Device for Vascular Access on AVF Maturation in a Goat Carotid-Jugular Fistula Model" Posters Presentation, 2nd Place Ammar Almehmi, MD — "The Dark Side of Endovascular Arteriovenous Fistula: A Call for Precaution" Posters Presentation, 3rd Place Alexis Garcia, MD — "Maximizing Use of Vascular Resources for Autogenous Arteriovenous Fistula Creation" Trainee Podium Presentation, 1st Place Melissa Cruz, BS — "Safety of Uninterrupted Anticoagulation in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis Access Creation with Regional Anesthesia" Trainee Podium Presentation, 2nd Place Amen Kiani — "Snuff Box Arteriovenous Fistula as the First Choice: A Single Center Review" Trainee Podium Presentation, 3rd Place Atlee Baker — "Is There a Minimum for Flow Volume Necessary to Provide Adequate Dialysis?" 2022 Best Poster, 1st Place: Ifeanyi Okereke, MD — "Managing AV Access Related Cutaneous Malignancies" Best Poster, Honorable Mention: Michael Tal, MD — "'March N’ Bend' Technique for Ultrasound Guided Access to the Distal Radial Artery" Resident Presentation Competition, 1st Place: Muhammad Hafeez, MD — "Comparing Post-Maturation Outcomes of Arteriovenous Grafts and Fistulas" Resident Presentation Competition, 2nd Place: Patrick Heindel, MD — "Bovine Carotid Artery Xenografts in Hemodialysis Access Revision" Open Presentation Competition, 1st Place: Monnie Wasse, MD — "First in Human Evaluation of a Novel Biologic Regenerative Vascular Conduit for Hemodialysis Access" Open Presentation Competition, 2nd Place: Linda Liu, BA — "Development of an Ex Vivo Bioreactor System to Model Arteriovenous Fistula Hemodynamics" Open Presentation Competition, 3rd Place (Tie): Karl Illig, MD — "Initial Experience with the Surfacer Device for Intrathoracic Outflow Occlusion: Mid-term Results" Adina Voiculescu, MD — "Real Life Outcomes of Endo-AVFs in a Tertiary Care Clinical Center with High Autogenous Access Creation" 2018 Best Resident Abstract: Alonso Diaz, MD — "Significance of a Protocol Based Arteriovenous Dialysis AccessSite Maintenance Program" Best Poster, 1st Place: Cesar D. Cuen-Ojeda, MD — "Hemodialysis Access Creation in Systemic Lupus Erythematous Patients. What is the Optimal Alternative?" Best Poster, 2nd Place: George A.Blessios, MD, PhD, FACS — "Effects of Preoperative Inflow Artery Volume Flow Measurements to the Outcome of Arteriovenous Fistula Creation" Best Poster, 3rd Place: Ulf Krueger, PhD — "Boone and Bane of the Thrill" 2016 Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 1st Place: Will Chapman, MD — "Cephalic Vein Fistulae in the Arm: Does Site Determine Long Term Outcome?" Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 2nd Place: Emma Aitken, MD — "Does Regional Compared to Local Anesthesia Influence Outcome After Arteriovenous Fistula Creation? A Multi Centre Randomized Controlled Trial" Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 3rd Place: Patrick McGlynn, MD — "Vein Mapping-Related Contrast Dye Exposure, Contrast Induced Nephropathy, and time to Dialysis in CKD Patients" 2014 Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 1st Place: Angela L. Gucwa, MD — "Description and Outcomes of a Simple Surgical Technique for Treating Arteriovenous Fistula Pseudo-aneurysms" Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 2nd Place: John Yerxa — "The Role of Exogenous Nitrates in Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation" Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 3rd Place: Emma L. Aitken, MD — "A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Continuous to Interrupted Sutures for Radiocephalic Arteriovenous Fistulae" 2012 Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 1st Place: Sean Hislop, MD — "Transaxillary First Rib Resection for Fistula Salvage: Does It Work?" Best Abstract Presentation Awards, 2nd Place: Roberto Iglesias, MD — "The Management of Dysfunctional Prosthetic Arteriovenous Accesses by Interventional Nephrologists and Surgeons. A Comparison of Outcomes" Award for Best New VASA Slogan: Angela Barnett — “Access Excellence”", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://vasamd.org/" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Vascular Access Society of the Americas", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://vasamd.org//images/gsd.png" } }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Scarnegie", "url": "https://vasamd.org/about/awards" }, "datePublished": "2025-06-20T21:46:40+00:00", "dateCreated": "2025-06-20T21:46:40+00:00", "dateModified": "2025-06-22T22:00:44+00:00" } ```