Alfonso Santamaría Gadea, Departamento de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
The 74th edition of the Spanish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (SEORL-CCC) National Congress took place at the Meliá Castilla Hotel in Madrid under the chairmanship of Professor Bernal Sprekelsen. Almost 1500 otorhinolaryngologists attended and heard around 150 national and international speakers delivering keynote lectures or presentations at plenary sessions, panel discussions, video and poster sessions, symposia and oral presentations.
On the first day we had the pleasure of listening to lectures held by the appointed honorary members 2023. Dr Peak Woo, clinical researcher at Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, USA), presented on laryngology. The doctor highlighted the technological and scientific advances in otolaryngology over the last 20 years and the importance of staying up to date to provide the best care and attention to our patients.
Dr Claus Bachert, formerly at the UZ Ghent, now at University of Münster (Germany) and Professor at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden) spoke about the use of biologics versus surgery in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwPN). In his lecture, he stressed the importance of basic research and mentioned the progress made in recent years, with particular emphasis on the fields of immunology and rhinology.
Dr Johannes J Fagan, Scientific Director at the Clinic for Otolaryngology, South Africa, discussed head and neck cancer treatments in countries with lower income. The doctor discussed the importance of investing in the training of new surgeons, especially in countries with limited resources that do not have easy access to radiotherapy. He also noted that in low-income countries, it is critical to invest in interventions that reach a greater percentage of the population.
Dr Paolo Castelnuovo, Director of the Department of Surgical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Ospedale di Circolo, Varese, spoke on treatment modalities of malignant sinonasal tumours. He described the latest trends in the treatment of sinonasal tumours by outlining the most current scientific evidence on the treatment of each type of sinonasal tumour.
This year, as a novelty during the meeting, there was the launch of a SEORL-CCC white book, which, like a book of the year, addresses all the hot topics in the various fields of ENT. Additionally, the audience was introduced to a new emergency guide to otorhinolaryngology for residents, which can assist training specialists.
The next SEORL-CCC, which will be the 75th since its foundation, has been scheduled for 23-26 October 2024 in Málaga. We cannot wait to see you there.
