Dr Greta Niemann, ENT surgeon, Pretoria
The 60th Annual ENT Conference held in Pretoria in November was a remarkable event, skilfully organised and offering an exceptional line-up of international and local speakers. This year’s gathering provided a unique opportunity for professionals in the field of ENT to immerse themselves in cutting-edge research, clinical advancements and practical skills.
A wealth of distinguished speakers from across the globe included Prof Jean Anderson Eloy (USA), Dr Derek Bosman (UK), Prof Stephen Lai (USA), Prof Hubert Low (Australia), Dr Z Patel (USA), Prof Shyan Vijayasekaran (Australia), Dr P Weber (USA), Prof Adrian James (Canada), Prof Waleed Moneir (Egypt) and Prof Prepageran Narayan (Malaysia). The conference covered a broad spectrum of topics, featuring deep dives into otology, rhinology, paediatrics and head and neck surgery. The range and depth of content presented across four parallel sessions made it a challenging decision as to which to attend, as all offered invaluable insights.
The overarching theme of the conference was ‘Rooted… pioneering the future,’ underscoring the importance of revisiting the fundamentals of ENT practice while also embracing the innovative advancements that continue to shape the field.
The meeting was preceded by an update on vestibular disorders led by Drs Louis Hofmeyr, Peter Weber and Alida Naudé.
Dr Derek Bosman delivered several lectures grounded in evidence and presented with clarity, making it easy for attendees to apply his advice in their own practices.
Prof Prepageran Narayan from Malaysia, a favourite speaker in South Africa, demonstrated his surgical expertise and anatomic knowledge in a practical otology demonstration, while engaging the audience with his characteristic witty commentary.
One of the standout aspects of the congress was the demonstration that ENT continues to evolve rapidly. Several discussions highlighted the latest innovations reshaping the discipline. In otology, for instance, Dr Peter Weber provided a fascinating overview of emerging therapies, including the use of genetic interventions for hearing restoration in children with otoferlin deficiency. Dr Rosemary Kabahuma’s lecture on deafness in Sub-Saharan Africa gave insight into the need for this important research in our setting. And Dr Zara Patel shared exciting recent advances in rhinology and olfaction.
New advances in reconstructive surgery as well as neoadjuvant therapy for head and neck cancer were presented by Dr Hubert Low and Dr Niel Gross. Prof Adrian James presented on cholesteatoma in children and the latest developments in attempts to develop international reporting standards.
The social highlight of the annual South African ENT Congresses is the formal banquet, where the speakers are acknowledged and awards given to outstanding Society members, as well as prizes to the best registrar presentations and posters. This was a glamorous affair out on a deck under the Highveld sky. The Society remembered and honoured Professor Dawid Stolp and Dr Marc Torres-Holmes. The prize-winning oral presentations were by Dr Jani van Rooyen (First Prize) with the topic ‘Serial Balloon Dilations as an Alternative to Formal Surgery for Pyriform Aperture Stenosis’ and Dr Gideon van Tonder (Second Prize) with the topic ‘Tobacco use of HNSCC patients at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town’. The prizes for best poster presentations were won by Dr Livhuwani Ramunenyiwa for ‘ENT Manifestations of Relapsing Polychondritis’ and Dr Meveena Naidu for ‘An Unusual Case of An Intraoperative Acute Orbital Compartment Syndrome’.
It was clear from the breadth and quality of the presentations that ENT is far from a stagnant field. The conference demonstrated how the combination of deep-rooted traditional knowledge and cutting-edge technology is paving the way for future advancements in clinical practice and patient care. Overall, this year’s 60th Annual ENT Conference was an outstanding success, offering a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for practitioners at all stages of their careers.
