EAONO collected in tributes from colleagues of Ugo Fisch who passed away on 12th December 2019 at the age of 88.
Prof. Shakeel R. Saeed
It was with great sadness that we have learnt that Professor Ugo Fisch passed away recently. Not only was he one of the doyens of global Otology and Skullbase surgery, for EAONO it is a particularly pertinent – Ugo Fisch was one of the visionary founding fathers of EAONO and the second EAONO President. His name is synonymous not only with the approaches to the skullbase that bear his name but also his meticulous attention to detail and exemplary surgical training – numerous Fellows spanning the globe practice what he preached to the benefit of countless patients world-wide. At this time of sadness our thoughts are with his family and we must all reflect on our own personal memories of how he impacted our own professional lives and ultimately those of our patients.
Prof Jacques Magnan
The most brilliant star in the European ORL sky, Pr Ugo Fisch, is gone. All of us; we are deeply sad. In Otology and skull base surgery his indelible mark was the supreme skill of both teaching and surgery. Elitist in his soul he did tremendous efforts to attract and include otoneurological and skull base surgery in the ORL field. So, he played a central role in the spirit and the foundation of the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology. The first EAONO instructional courses in Nice (2002-2004) were under his leadership and presidency. All otologists, all skull base surgeons are still pupils facing such a master and we are all indebted forever.
Prof. Franco Trabalzini
He simply wrote the history....
Prof. Angel Ramos
He was one of the great “masters” of the modern otology, excellent surgeon, professor, innovator and leader. I had the opportunity to meet him for the first time, and learned from him in the early 90´s. He was born on March 3, 1931 in Zug, Switzerland, and became Medicine Doctor at Zurich University in 1956. Physician, U. Zurich Medical School, 1950-1958; research fellow, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, 1959-1960; research fellow, Billings Hospital, Chicago, 1960. Prof Fisch was the Head of the ENT Department of the University Hospital in Zurich from 1970 to 1999. He published more than 300 articles concerning Microsurgery of the Middle Ear and the Skull Base He is also author of many books. Two of them, "Tympanoplasty, Mastoidectomy and Stapes Surgery" and "Microsurgery of the Skull Base" are classics and essentials in the otology field. He has been considered one of the “Fathers of the Modern Otology” He was also a family man. He married his wife, Monica in 1964 and they had two children: Jann and Marina. In his free time, he enjoyed painting and reading from the beautiful views he could observed from his house. Prof Fisch will be missed and his contributions to otology and neurotology science will stay in in those who had the opportunity to learn and train with him, and through all his great work, books and manuscripts.
Prof. O. Nuri Ozgirgin
The Otology Neurotology world lost his father. He was a great innovator and teacher. He left a great treasury of scientific material behind. The impact by Ugo Fisch will always shine. My condolences to family, his pupil, and to all otologic family.
Prof. Per Caye-Thomasen
Ugo Fisch was the grand father of European skull base surgery and as such, his contribution to the field of otology and neurotology is unsurpassed. For a number of surgical procedures, he is the original reference for todays surgeons. He authored several books, of which “Microsurgery of the skull base” is a true classic and a bible for skull base surgeons around the world. He was Honorary member of many ENT Societies, Honorary doctor of the University of Liège (Belgium), Honorary Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Royal Society of Medicine in London. He was one of the few visionary and founding fathers of EAONO, for which he served as one of the first presidents – all otologists and neurotologists thus owe him a grand debt – may he forever inspire us and rest in peace!
Prof. Profant
Ugo Fisch is the name that does not require any titles, functions, positions, simply Ugo Fisch. The work he has done is speaking for him. He has taught personally many colleagues - leading skull base surgeons today, but also thousands of colleagues through his presentations, papers, books. The lecture hall was always fully occupied when the lecture of Ugo Fisch was announced. Ugo Fisch always very meticulously prepared his lecture without a single useless word, without a single useless picture, precisely on time. Really the teacher of all otologists and skull base surgeons.
