A
runachalam Iyer, Consultant ENT Surgeon/ Associate Professor, University Hospital Monklands 
Janaina Gonçalves da Silva Leite, Junior Resident Surgeon of Sinus Centro ENT Resident of Hospital Geral de Fortaleza
The 5th World Congress on Endoscopic Ear Surgery, the first of such a meeting in South America, showcased the latest advancements in endoscopic ear surgery (EES).
Organized by the Association of Brazilian Otolaryngology (ABRORL) and the International Working Group in Endoscopic Ear Surgery (IWGEES), Dr João Nogueira and Dr Robinson Koji Tsuji led the event. Overcoming language barriers, the organizers introduced innovative solutions like ‘silent’ areas (Arena Silenciosa) with headphones for translation between Portuguese and English.
The congress opened with simultaneous panels on EES principles, Korean experiences, and long-term outcomes of cholesteatoma surgery. In Arena Silenciosa 1, Daniel Lee (USA), José Ricardo Gurgel Testa (Brazil), Justin Golub (USA), and Bruno Borges Taguchi (Brazil) discussed EES fundamentals. Meanwhile, Korean experts Jong Dae Lee, Jin Woong Choi, Hyong Ho Cho, and In Seok Moon shared their experiences in Arena Silenciosa 2. In the main hall, Daniele Marchioni (Italy), João Nogueira (Brazil), and Mohamed Badr-El Dine (Oman) reviewed 25 years of cholesteatoma surgery.
International delegates
Post-break sessions covered the relevance of mastoidectomy in the endoscopic era and a session for young surgeons on endoscopic tympanoplasty and teaching EES techniques. A special roundtable focused on endoscopic management of tympanic perforations.
Day two began with a keynote on Italian EES experiences by Daniele Marchioni and Brandon Isaacson (USA). The following sessions addressed challenging cases in stapes surgery with insights from Raul Vitor Rossi Zanini (Brazil), Arun Iyer (UK), Alejo Linares (Argentina) and Özgür Sürmelioglu (Turkey). Educational aspects of EES, including teaching methods and costs, were discussed in Arena Silenciosa 2.
Board members and faculty of the congress
Afternoon panels highlighted middle ear tumour management and paediatric endoscopic ear management with global experts such as Brandon Isaacson, Mohamed Badr-El Dine, Alejandro Rivas (USA), and In Seok Moon. The congress concluded with a keynote on IWGEES, discussions on ossicular chain reconstruction, and the risks and benefits of primary stapes surgery by speakers including Daniel Lee, Livio Presutti (Italy) and Miguel Sá Breda (Portugal).
A social event featuring music by Brazilian ENT surgeons and local delicacies capped off the congress, which served as a platform for knowledge exchange, innovative techniques, and international collaboration in endoscopic ear surgery.
Street art in Sao Paolo
