submitted May 09, 2008.

Read two recent articles published about EAORL-HNS and its member organisations. The May article includes information about the EGFL, the PWG, and the ERS. In the June article, find out more about the EASM and the EAONO.

Both of these articles can be found in the European Archives of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, online at http://www.springer.com/medicine/otorhinolaryngology/journal/405.

submitted April 16, 2008.

ENT Doctors Celebrate the Importance of Voice this Election Season

April 16 is World Voice Day

Alexandria, Va. - During this election season, the significance of a candidate’s voice is both literal and figurative. The race for the White House reminds us that one single voice can influence a nation and change the course of history. It is with this spirit that the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) celebrates World Voice Day on April 16 with the theme of “Let Your Voice Be Heard.”

The human voice is a powerful symbol of the right to communicate opinions and beliefs, but it is also a very physical part of everyday life. As candidates stump the campaign trail delivering speeches, talking one-on-one with voters, and giving countless interviews, they realize how critical it is to maintain proper vocal health.

Unfortunately, it is estimated that up to 7 million Americans suffer from some form of voice disorder, which can greatly impact their lives and ability to express themselves.

World Voice Day gives vocal health experts the opportunity to highlight the magnitude of vocal health to the general public and to professionals who have built careers around their voices. The 2008 theme, “Let Your Voice Be Heard,” is the perfect opportunity to remind our political leaders to conserve their indispensable voices.

As AAO-HNS celebrates the seventh year of the observance, ENT doctors offer some tips to keep the candidates in tip-top vocal shape:

• Drink plenty of water. Moisture is good for your voice. Hydration helps to keep thin secretions flowing to lubricate your vocal cords.
• Try not to scream or yell. These are abusive practices for your voice, and put great strain on the lining of the vocal cords.
• Warm up your voice before heavy use. Warm-ups can be simple, such as gently gliding from low to high tones on different vowel sounds, doing lip trills (like the motorboat sound that kids make), or tongue trills.
• Use good breath support. Breath flow is the power for voice. Take time to fill your lungs before starting to talk, and don’t wait until you are almost out of air before taking another breath to power your voice.
• Use a microphone. When giving a speech or presentation, consider using a microphone to lessen the strain on your voice.
• Listen to your voice when it is complaining to you. Know that you need to modify and decrease your voice use if you become hoarse to allow your vocal cords to recover. Pushing your voice when it’s already gruff can lead to significant problems. If your voice is hoarse frequently, or for an extended period of time, you should be evaluated by an otolaryngologist, a physician trained to treat disorders of the ears, nose, and throat.

In addition to these suggestions, new tools created for the 2008 observance include: “How the Voice Works” fact sheet; World Voice Day public service announcement; and a World Voice Day podcast.

Find out more here.

submitted March 20, 2008.

With the emergence of European sub-specialist organisations related to the world of ORL-HNS, such as the European Rhinological Society (ERS) in 1963 and the European Laryngological Society (ELS) as well as the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-otology (EAONO) in 1995, and following the Berlin Congress 2000, there has been a growing need to coordinate their activities.

This realization was the driving force behind forming the European Academy of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (EAORL-HNS), to bring together all of the European sub-speciality organisations in collaboration with EUFOS and UEMS, to provide harmonisation and rationalisation of courses, congresses, instructional sessions and teaching programmes within Europe. In addition, the need to provide a framework for instruction of trainee otorhinolaryngologists at an affordable price was addressed.

Thus, the principles of the EAORL-HNS were agreed upon and the EAORL-HNS was formally founded in January 2005, at a meeting of the EUFOS Standing Committee of Training and Continuing Medical Education held at the ORL-HNS Department, University of Marburg, Germany.

One of the EAORL-HNS’s recent achievements was the scientific programme for the 6th European Congress of Oto- Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, which took place from 30 June to 4 July 2007 in Vienna, Austria. It was compiled and planned in close collaboration with the member societies and the three programme coordinators: Klaus Jahnke (Germany) for Otology-Neurootology, Jan Olofsson (Norway) for Head and Neck-Laryngology, and Heinz Stammberger (Austria) for Rhinology-Facial Plastic Surgery. With over 3,000 participants from 96 countries, the 6th EUFOS Congress proved to be the largest of its kind in Europe.

The Academy’s next project is the “1st European Academy ORL-HNS Meeting”, due to take place from 27–30 June, 2009 in Mannheim, Germany, which will over a great variety of Instructional Courses and state-of-the-art Round Tables. Congress President Karl Hörmann is working in close cooperation with an outstanding scientific committee to Wll the scientiWc programme with life in the months to come!

Currently, the EAORL-HNS has 15 affiliated member societies, a co-opted member society, namely the Mediterranean Society of Otology and Audiology (MSOA), and two partner societies, EUFOS and UEMS ORL Section.

In order to better acquaint the readers of this journal with the EAORL-HNS (www.eaorl-hns.org), its members and activities, each member society will be brieXy introduced in forthcoming issues.

The afilliated member societies are:

• EAACI: European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology ENT-Section
• EAFPS: European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery
• EASM: European Academy of Sleep Medicine
• EAONO: European Academy of Otology & Neurootology
• EFAS: European Federation of Audiological Societies
• EGDG: European Study Group for Globus and Dysphagia
• EGFL: European Study Group of Functional Surgery following Laryngectomy
• EHNS: European Head and Neck Society
• ELS: European Laryngological Society
• ERS: European Rhinologic Society
• ESBS: European Skull Base Society
• ESGS: European Salivary Gland Society
• ESPO: European Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
• PWG: Permanent Working Group of European Junior Doctors
• UEP: Union of European Phoniatricians

Forty-nine countries are represented in the EAACI ENT-section, which is growing steadily and currently has more than 300 members.

The EAACI ENT-section works in close collaboration with GA²LEN, the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network, a consortium of leading European research centres specialized in allergic diseases, which includes asthma.

Some of the topics investigated are upper-lower airways interactions, viral infection and upper-lower airways hyper- reactivity, bacterial superantigens and non-allergic rhinitis, to name but a few.

A special task force is working on the European position paper (EPOS) on rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps, the current version is available for download at this link.

Another task force is currently investigating “Tools and methods in the diagnosis and investigation of rhinitis and rhinosinusitis”.

From 7–11 June, 2008 the XXVII Congress of the Euro- pean Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology will take place in Barcelona, Spain, dedicated to “Clinical Features of Allergy: from Pediatric to Geriatric”. Of special interest to Rhinologists is the Symposium on Experimental Rhinology and Immunology of the Nose ( SERIN ) to be held in Dubrovnik in November 2008.

To find out more about EAACI and the EAACI ENT section, please visit www.eaaci.net.

Formerly known as The Joseph Society and as the European Academy of Facial Surgery, the EAFPS was founded in 1977. Its objectives are to stimulate training, research and scientiWc advancement in the Weld of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Members are drawn from all interested specialities with expertise in facial surgery both within Europe and further aWeld, and currently number more than 700.

Each year high quality courses and meetings are convened by the Academy. There is a Fellowship Programme which places successful candidates in centres of excellence throughout Europe. Following this the Fellows sit the exam of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. This is the only validated exam in facial plastic surgery anywhere in the world. The exam is reviewed annually and administered in accordance with “Standards for Education and Psychological Testing” prepared jointly by the American Education Research Association, the American Psychological Association and the National Council on Measurement in Education.

The European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery is affiliated to the International Federation of Facial Plastic Surgery Societies.

The Annual Conference in the 31st Year of The European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery will take place from September 24–28, 2008 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Information on the EAFPS and its activities can be found at www.eafps.org, and the congress homepage at www.eafps-due2008.eu.

taken from the European Archives of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, http://www.springer.com/medicine/otorhinolaryngology/journal/405.

submitted Jan 29, 2008.

As the number of visitors increases on the EAORL-HNS website, so does the number of functionalities asked for by these people. In response to one of these demands, we have added a new Job Announcement section to the website. To see the job listing section, please click here.

If you would like to add your job announcement to this page, please write to webmaster.

submitted Dec 25, 2007.

Dear friends,

2007 was a great year for the European Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, thanks to all of you!

The 6th European Congress of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (EUFOS) in Vienna was very successful, due mainly to the many high-standard contributions of the subspecialty societies, organized in the European Academy of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (hereafter referred to as the Academy) in co-work with EUFOS.

But also our charming Austrian hosts Klaus Albegger and Heinz Stammberger did outstanding work, the Mondial Group perfectly organized the meeting and the impressive Hofburg provided an optimal ambience.

The Vienna Congress will be a historical landmark for us. During the Closing Session,we defined the aims, objectives and strategies to create a strong and effective united European ORL-HNS organization by way of a friendly merger. During the Congress, it was already decided to offer the Academy's secretariat to all EUFOS activities. Our Society Manager, Ms. Andrea Balcar, can be reached at ++43 1 58804 800 or society@eaorl-hns.org.

Finally in Vienna, the main steps of the merging process of EUFOS and the Academy were defined together with Jan Olofsson, EUFOS' new President, who did perfect work.

Since then, the General Secretaries and Treasurers of both EUFOS and the Academy, together with Reidar Grenman and Richard Maw (both ORL-section of UEMS) have created an excellent constitution of the Confederation, which will now have to be accredited by the General Assemblies of EUFOS and the Academy. It will be distributed within the next few weeks.

For the next 18 months, we should continue to fill our aims and objectives with life. One example would be a timetable for the development of a European Board Certification of ORL-HNS.

Another example would be to encourage some subspecialty societies to develop programmes of subspecialty training. This we should discuss in Barcelona in May 2008. The greatest challenge for the near future, I believe, is to perfectly prepare the Mannheim Meeting, presided by Karl Hörmann.

More than in Vienna, it will be the duty of the subspecialty societies - in co-operation with Karl Hörmann and his group - to send proposals for Instructional Courses and State-of-the-Art Round Tables. For that purpose, we invite each subspecialty society to elect one representative responsible for this task, and to inform Karl Hörmann of their decision until the end of January 2008.

One of Karl's duties will be to offer special time schedules for each subspecialty.

We all want the 1st Academy Meeting - which will be organized in close co-operation with EUFOS - to be a great success!

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and with my very best personal regards,

Yours Sincerely,

Klaus

submitted Nov 19, 2007.

ENT News dedicated several pages in its September/October issue to the EUFOS congress, June 30 - July 4, 2007

To read the entire article, please click on this link

submitted Nov 19, 2007.

The EAORL-HNS 2007 General Assembly minutes are now online.

You my consult the minutes by clicking here.

submitted July 25, 2007.

From June 30 to July 4, 2007, the 6th Congress of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EU.F.O.S.) took place at Vienna’s Hofburg.

The Austrian Society of ORL, HNS and the European Academy of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and its member societies all actively contributed to the scientific programme, which was compiled and planned in close cooperation with the three programme coordinators, Klaus Jahnke (Germany) for Otology — Neurootology, Jan Olofsson (Norway) for Head and Neck—Laryngology and Heinz Stammberger (Austria) for Rhinology—Facial Plastic Surgery.

At the opening ceremony, Heinz Stammberger surprised the audience with a take on ‘The Third Man’, and reminded everyone that ‘Vienna always was at a crossroads...’, while the Wild Ensemble gave a musical tour de force of all that Vienna has to offer. Opening lectures by Benoıˆt Lengele´ (Belgium) about the first human face transplant and Hartmut Neumann (Germany) about the European Paraganglioma Network gave the audience a first glimpse of what else to expect.

Up to 12 sessions ran parallel in the stately rooms of the former Habsburg residence at any given time, presenting the very latest in clinical practice and research.

Within the framework of Instructional Courses, 37 live dissection operations were performed, offering delegates the opportunity to get acquainted with new procedures and techniques. With a total of 55 scientific sessions, 30 keynote lectures, 79 instructional courses, 89 round tables and 3133 participants from 96 countries, the EUFOS congress proved beyond doubt to be the largest of its kind in Europe. In addition, more than 80 participating companies made this one of the largest commercial exhibitions ever at a European ENT congress.

On the final day, some of the field’s leading minds gathered in a special round table to discuss "European ENT—quo vadis? The Final Round....Table", to share ideas and discuss current topics and controversies in the field, providing a suitable ending to this multi-day event.

The panel included:

• Desiderio Passali, President of IFOS (Italy)
• Peter Clement, Former President of EUFOS (Belgium)
• Klaus Jahnke, President of the EAORL-HNS (Germany)
• Reidar Grenman, President of UEMS-ENT-Section (Finland)
• Erwin Offeciers, IFOS Regional Secretary for Europe (Belgium)
• Jan Olofsson, newly elected President of EUFOS (Norway)
• Klaus Albegger (Austria) and Heinz Stammberger (Austria), Congress Presidents

A summary of their statements will be published in the next issue. In his words of farewell to the audience, Klaus Albegger expressed his wish that everyone take the ‘spirit of Vienna’ home with them.

All in all, the outstanding success of this 6th EUFOS Congress proved that ENT is a very lively community, with strong ties in Europe and far beyond.

Text and photos: Andrea Balcar, Society Manager EAORL-HNS

submitted June 06, 2007.

The General Assembly for EFAS representatives will be held on Friday the 8th of June from 12.30-13.30 at the EFAS congress in Heidelberg. The location for the meeting will be announced at the registration desk.
Lunch-boxes will be served.

submitted Jan 09, 2007.

East Meets West International Academy of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Meeting in Antwerp

Venue: Antwerp, Belgium. Date: 13-14th October, 2006.
Report by: Prof Hesham Negm, Cairo University, Egypt.

Antwerp, a marvellous metropolis of culture and trade, owes its prosperity not only to a gigantic port along the river Scheldt, a worldrenowned diamond centre and a delightful inner city, but it also holds an impressive cultural heritage. Indeed, amongst a wide variety of wonderful aspects, Antwerp stands for Rubens, van Dyck, Jordaens, Bruegel, Plantyn and centuries of fine architecture, music and artistic crafts, and so it was an excellent locale for the International Academy of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery to host its meeting.

This was the first meeting of the Academy in Western Europe. The title ‘East Meets West’ was chosen by Prof Bert Schmelzer, Conference President, with the goal of bringing Eastern European, Central-Asian, American, African and Western European colleagues together in an amicable atmosphere to learn from one another and to set an example for their younger colleagues. The venue was the prestigious Thirteenth Century ‘Elzenveld’, first built as a hospital and then renovated into a lovely conference centre in the late 80s. Its chapel is from 1236, and there is still a hospital building on the site of the conference centre.

The Guests of Honour at the meeting were: Marius Pluzhnikov (Russia), President of the IAO-HNS, Fred Stucker (USA), Rais Tulebaev (Kazakhstan), George Feigin (Kirkizstan), Peter Clement (Belgium), EUFOS President, and Vasant Oswal (UK). Prof Vasant Oswal was awarded the NP Simanovskii Golden Medal for his contribution to the pedagogical activities of the IAOHNS. Prof Bert Schmelzer was awarded with a diploma as Professor of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. Prof Marius Plouzhnikov was awarded the Memorial Medal of Collegium Amicititae Sacrum.

A large number of guest speakers were invited to give excellent lectures, including: K Jahnke, President of the European Academy, V Jahnke and J Werner (Germany), V Ananian (USA), H Negm (Egypt), V Bykova, G Tavartkiladze and V Linkov (Russia), G Cingi (Turkey), R Rozenson (Kazakhstan), K Albegger (Austria), M Romanitan (Sweden), D Zabolotny (Ukrain), E Vitte (France), P VanDeHeyning, FE Offeciers, M Jorissen, J Claes, J Daele, I Dhooge, V Vander Poorten, S Vlaminck and J Watelet (Belgium), and others.

The lectures covered a wide spectrum of topics in all fields of otorhinolaryngology, from FESS to stapes surgery and from cochlear implantation to head and neck tumours. N Daikhis (Russia) and K Albegger (Austria) received their documents as new members of the IAO-HNS. Prof K Albegger, President of the upcoming EUFOS Congress, invited Academy members to attend the EUFOS Conference next June in Vienna where an Academy meeting will also take place.

A wonderful concert was conducted by Prof Ananian (Violin) and Mr Donald (Piano) inside the old chapel in a legendary atmosphere. The beautiful weather made the pre-conference tour to Ghent and Bruges unforgettable. Bruges, a city that has remained undamaged since the early 14th Century, was perhaps the nicest stay because of its complete renovation. Peter Clement invited all foreign guests to partake of this wonderful trip. Guests also enjoyed the wonderful tastes of Belgian food and drinks at the welcoming party, an exclusive gala dinner in the superb main hall and an elegant farewell dinner in the old opera house. All events were joyful and unforgettable to all.

--source ENT News, Vol. 15, No. 6, Jan/Feb 2007

submitted Oct 06, 2006.

At the last EAORL-HNS Executive Business Meeting in Cologne on September 23, 2006, it was decided that the 2009 EAORL-HNS will:

• take place in Mannheim, Germany
• be at the end of June/beginning July 2009
• the Chairman of the Meeting will be Prof. Dr. med. Karl Hörmann (president of EASM, dean of Heidelberg-Mannheim University).

submitted Sept 21, 2006.

Don't forget to mark your calendars for the next EAORL-HNS Business Meeting: February 16-19, 2007 - Vienna