Message from the Chair
The last couple of years have truly been a challenge for everyone as we all have been dealing both personally and professionally with unprecedented demands. Thus, it is appropriate that the theme of our 10th EES Hands-on Seminar in Yamagata in 2021 will be focused on “A New Age in Ear Surgery – How to Achieve Safe Surgery with Predictable Outcomes”.
2021 can truly be called a special year for the field of ear surgery for a wealth of reasons. The year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the first use of the microscope in any field of surgery. This honor went to a Swedish otologist, Dr. Carl Nylen, who incorporated the microscope into ear surgery in 1921. Thus, we in the field of otology can take great pride in that fact that our field lead the way in this monumental breakthrough.
In addition, the year 2021 marks the 70th anniversary of development and introduction of the Zeiss OPMI-1 binocular dissecting microscope. Dr. Horst Wullstein, an otologist, was not only instrumental in the development of this microscope, which came into use in 1951, but he subsequently put it to immediate good use in the development of the groundbreaking tympanoplasty procedure.
The year 2021 also marks the 40th anniversary of the work of another pioneer in ear surgery, Dr. Yasuya Nomura. While other fields were working to incorporate the endoscope into their practice, the field of otology was hindered by the anatomical restraints imposed by the small size of the ear and its delicate structures. Dr. Nomura confronted and worked to overcome the limitations of the microscope through the development of a small-diameter endoscope in 1981 that came to be called the needle otoscope. This needle otoscope made it finally possible to visualize the “hard to reach areas” within the ear.
Thus, it is appropriate that in this year of 2021 which marks the anniversary of some many significant milestones, we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the EES Hands-on Seminar in Yamagata. Our 10th anniversary seminar will allow us to contemplate the next steps that are being taken now and peer into the future to ensure we perform not only safe surgeries but also achieve predictable outcomes using the latest in surgical tools in this New Age of ear surgery.
Session 1: How to Perform Safer Ear Surgery with Predictable Outcomes
Keynote Lectures 1 through 3 will focus on the secrets behind performing safer ear surgery that result in predictable outcomes. Dr. Alicia M. Quesnel from the United States will give Keynote Lecture 1 during which she will talk about how to stay out of trouble and perform TEES safely. She will be followed by Dr. George Wanna who is also from the United States and will give Keynote Lecture 2. Dr. Wanna will talk about the latest developments in surgical equipment, specifically the incorporation of the exoscope into ear surgery. Dr. Yu Matsumoto from Japan will then give Keynote Lecture 3 on the tools, tips, tricks and techniques that every surgeon performing TEES should know. Finally, Dr. Quesnel and Dr. Matsumoto will be joined by Dr. Maura Cosetti of the United States in a panel discussion on how to perform safe surgery in this New Age of ear surgery.
Session 2: Education & Training
Dr. Nirmal Patel from Australia will give Keynote Lecture 4 in which he will talk about education in this New Age using online videos. He will be followed by Dr. Kishiko Sunami from Japan who will give Keynote Lecture 5 which will focus on training surgeons on performing TEES based on her own experience.
Session 3: Interactive Cadaveric Dissection
Session 3 will allow participants to observe a special interactive cadaveric dissection which will be performed by Dr. Lukas Anschuetz of Switzerland via a live link to Japan. Dr. Anschuetz will demonstrate a tympanoplasty type IIIc procedure using artificial titanium ossicles. Since he will be performing this procedure live, viewers are encouraged to ask any questions that they might have.
Session 4: Ossiculoplasty, Session 5: Micromechanics
Critical to the improvement of hearing is reconstruction of the ossicular chain. Dr. Matteo Alicandri-Ciufelli from Italy will give a presentation on the methods employed using TEES in such reconstructions and long-term hearing outcomes which have been achieved. The final session of Day 1 will feature Dr. Alexander Huber from Switzerland who will talk on the biomechanics fundamentals behind the ossicular chain.
In between these Keynote Lectures and presentations will be a hands-on session which will allow participants to perform powered TEES dissection using the 2021 3D-model developed at the Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine.
The second day will feature two surgeries. The first surgery will be a patient with an attic cholesteatoma which will be removed using our own Yamagata-developed powered TEES method. The second surgery will be a patient with chronic otitis media with insufficient patch gain.
Finally let me say that we are fortunate we are able to hold the 10th EES Hands-on Seminar on-site in Yamagata due to high rate of vaccination and the improvement in the infection rate domestically. However, since the international travel situation has unfortunately yet to return to normal, our overseas invited lecturers will be giving their presentations via the web. On the positive side, this situation has made it possible for many speakers to participate who could not have come to Japan even under normal conditions and some innovative presentations such as the interactive cadaveric dissection which would not be an option in a conventional lecture hall in Japan.
Thus, I hope that all will agree that the 10th EES Hands-on Seminar in Yamagata will be an interesting and educational two days and a great way to mark the anniversaries of the many accomplishments over the past 100 years since the Dr. Nylen performed the ear surgery which signaled the beginning of microscopic surgery.