Report of the Activity of the
Fisch International Microsurgery Foundation for the Year 2008
The FIMF has pursued its activity according to the following lines :
- Organization of annual teaching courses in Zürich and of the biannual Luzius Rüedi Memorial Lecture
- Promotion of 3 months clinical fellowships
- Assistance to courses promoted by Associated Centres
- Participation to national and international teaching meetings
- Production and distribution of teaching material
1. Annual Teaching Courses in Zurich
The following teaching courses were organized in Zürich by FIMF in the year 2008:
1. February 6 - 7, 2008
Fifth Introductory Course in Microsurgery of the Temporal Bone
This course was intended for residents or fellows in training and highlights basic otologic microsurgical techniques.
Course Directors: Prof. Thomas Linder and Ugo Fisch
Location: Department of Anatomy, University of Zurich (Dir. Prof. P. Groscurth)
2. June 23 – 26, 2008
Microsurgery of the Skull Base - Seventeenth Practical Course
3 June 27 – 30, 2008
Advanced Microsurgery of the Temporal Bone (Otology) - Seventeenth Practical Course
For each of these last two courses only twelve to fourteen participants were accepted to optimise teaching and supervision.
The Skull Base Course covered the lateral skull base approaches A-D, the transotic approach to the cerebellopontine angle and the middle cranial fossa approach. The different microsurgical procedures were practiced on specially prepared cadaver heads. The working stations in the dissection laboratory of the Anatomy Department were fully equipped with Leica operating microscopes and the newest surgical instruments provided by Karl Storz Tuttlingen.
The Advanced Course in Otology was for experienced otologists and included practicing microsurgical procedures on temporal bones (e.g. open and closed cavity techniques, myringoplasties, ossiculoplasties, incus- and malleus-stapedotomy, cochlear and middle ear implant surgery).
Course Directors were Prof. Ugo Fisch, Zürich and Prof. Thomas Linder, Lucerne.
The ENT Faculty was formed by Prof. Michel Gleeson, U.K., Mr. John Hamilton U.K., Prof. John May USA, Prof. R. Posada Colombia, Prof. F.Trabalzini Italy, Dr. Andre Ataide BR, Dr.Rolien Free NL, Dr. Giovanni Ralli Italy, Dr. Szymanski Marcin Poland. The Anatomy Faculty consisted of Prof. O. Ullrich, Dr. M. Manestar and Dr. M. Vich, all members of the Anatomy Department of the University of Zürich.
The participants came from Brazil, U.K., Denmark, Canada, China, Germany, Netherlands, India, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Kuwait,, Turkey and Switzerland.
More information on the annual FIMF Courses is available on the FIMF Homepage (www.fimf.ch).
2. Fellowships
The following doctors were awarded with a FIMF fellowship during the year 2008:
- Dr. Sargsyan Liana, Yerevan, Armenia
- Dr. Moreira de Castro Mariana, Belo Horizonte, BR
- Dr. Jebahi Yasser, Curitiba, BR
- Dr. Alnaisar Fawziyah, Dubai, UAE
- Dr. Wael Abdelkafy, Ismailia, Egypt
The FIMF has provided free housing in Luzern during the fellowship. The fellows had the possibility to observe the surgical activity of PD Dr. Th. Linder and his staff as well as of Prof. U. Fisch in Lucerne. They could also use the ENT Library, the Video-room, attend lectures and grand rounds and work in the temporal bone laboratory under the supervision of Prof. Linder and Prof. Fisch.
3. Activities of Associated Centers
Brazilian Division of FIMF
(Director: Prof. Dr. Decio Castro, Porto Alegre)
1. II Curso de Microcirurgia do Osso Temporal da Fundação Fisch Internacional de Microcirurgia
3 – 5 of December, 2008 Salvador (Bahia)
This Course was organized by Dr. Josè Ney Ribeiro de Almeida in the Santa Casa da Bahia/Escola Bahiana de Medicina, Salvador (Bahia). It covered the procedures used for the microsurgical treatment of the most common middle ear diseases (chronic suppurative otitis media, cholesteatoma, otosclerosis, facial palsy) and the use of various implantable hearing devices (Baha, Cochlear Implants).
Prof. Decio Castro, Porto Alegre, gave the Opening Lecture on “The Brazilian Experience with the School of Zürich”.The Faculty consisted of former FIMF Fellows: Andre Ataide (Curitiba), Antonio Lobo (Belo Horizonte), David Varela (Salvador), Krisnamurti Sarmento (Rio de Janeiro), Marcelo Antunes (Porto Alegre), Marcelo Moura (Belo Horizonte) and Susana Fogaça (Passo Fundo – Rio Grande do Sul). These doctors presented during the theoretical part contributions regarding their experience with the Zürich techniques and contributed as tutors in the practical part of the meeting.The participants enjoyed the four days of intensive work. We would like to thank Dr. Josè Ney Ribeiro de Almeida, the organizing committee and the Brazilian Division of FIMF for having realized such a successful meeting.
2. Otologic training in Curitiba
Dr. Andrè Ataide has further developed his program of training for young otologists based on the principles and techniques of the Fisch School of
Otology. He has also continued to organize local courses and to write papers concerning the FIMF techniques.
Colombian Division of FIMF
(Director: Prof. Dr. Rodrigo Posada, Pereira)
1. Teaching
Prof. Posada has continued his intense teaching activity organizing FIMF dissection courses in his home town and participating to many courses, workshops and ENT Meetings in Peru and Argentina. His admirable collection of temporal bone specimens illustrating the steps of the microsurgical techniques of the FIMF school are finding increasing interest in South America. The temporal bones donated by Prof. Posada to the Anatomy Department of the Zürich University are prepared for a permanent exhibition and regularly used during the FIMF courses on microsurgery of the ear.
2. Books
The 2nd edition of the book: Tympanoplasty, Mastoidectomy, and Stapes Surgery, by U.Fisch, John May and Thomas Linder, Thieme 2007, which includes a new section on Imaging for Temporal Bone Surgery, was translated in Spanish by R. Posada early this year.
Indian Division of FIMF
(DirecÔtors: Dr. Ashim Desai and Dr. Ashesh Bhumkar, Mumbai)
Temporal Bone (Otology) Course
Dr. Desai Hospital, Mumbai, Feb 16 - 17, 2008
This course was organized by Dr. Ashim Desai, Mumbai and Dr. Ashesh Bhumkar, Thane. Tutors were former FIMF Fellows: Prasad Kelkar,Solapur: Neelam Vaid, Pune: Kailash Sant, Pune.
The following subjects were covered by the course: Canaloplasty, Ossiculoplasty, Stapedotomy. Closed and Open Cavity Techniques and Subtotal Petrosectomy.
To the course participated delegates from Banglore, Mumbai, Karad, Himachal Pradesh, Pimpri, Pune and Patna.
The course went well and the delegates felt truly benefited. Most delegates said “it was too much knowledge in 2 days” but are desperately waiting for the next course, and the waiting list is already there.
A similar course was held in Hyderabad on July 26 and 27, 2008.
Chinese Division of FIMF
(Director: Prof. Zheng-Min Wang, Eye Ear Nose & Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai (Head: Prof. Dr. Zheng-Min Wang).
Teaching
1. Prof. Dr. Zheng-Min Wang
Prof. Zheng-Min Wang has decided to translate the 2nd edition of the book : Tympanoplasty, Mastoidectomy, and Stapes Surgery, by U.Fisch, John May and Thomas Linder, Thieme 2007 in Chinese. He was invited as guest of Honor for the fifth Luzius Rüedi memorial Lecture in Lucerne (October 4. 2008, see below).
2. Dr. Yu-Cheng Wang
Dr. Yu-Cheng Wang has returned to the ENT Department of the Eye Ear Nose & Throat Hospital of Fudan University (Head: Prof. Dr. Zheng-Min Wang) after his FIMF fellowship in Lucerne of last year. He was appointed assistant professor and has found the concepts and techniques learned in Switzerland very helpful for his clinical work and is trying to introduce them to his colleagues.
3. FIMF Temporal Bone Dissection Laboratory
The Temporal Bone Dissection Laboratory of the Eye Ear Nose & Throat Hospital of Fudan University (which was officially dedicated to the Fisch International Microsurgery Foundation in April 2007) was used for dissection courses demonstrating the FIMF techniques of microsurgery of the Ear and Skull Base.
USA Division of FIMF
(Director: Prof. John S. May, Winston Salem, North Carolina)
Dr. John May has given various dissection courses for residents in his temporal bone laboratory at Wake Forest University. He has also taken part in local and regional workshops with hands-on demonstration of the FIMF techniques.
Unfortunately the Fisch Titanium Prostheses, although accepted by the FDA, were put on a regulatory hold in the USA since the Karl Storz Endoscopy America wanted a change in the current label. This prevented orders from being placed,which was an unfortunate development since the new book, Tympanoplasty Mastoidectomy and Stapes Surgery 2nd Edition by Ugo Fisch,John May and Thomas Linder, was presented at the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) annual meeting in Chicago September 21-24.
4. Special Activity of FIMF
Seventh LUZIUS RÜEDI Memorial Lecture and 10. Anniversary of FIMF
Saturday, October 4, 2008, 14:00 - 18:00
Main Hall of the Cantonal Hospital of Lucerne
The invited Guest Lecturer were Prof. Dr. Zheng-Min Wang, Shanghai, China and Prof. Dr. Decio Castro Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Prof. Dr. Zheng-Min Wang worked with us for two years at the Otolaryngology Department of the University Hospital in Zürich as a clinical fellow in 1980.
He showed great interest in all aspects of otology and skull base surgery and received the Doctor title of Zurich University in 1982. He earned a well deserved reputation and introduced a new era in Oto-Microsurgery in China, Prof.Wang’s book: Microsurgery of the Ear published in 2004 reflects his large clinical and surgical experience and has become a milestone in Chinese Otology. Prof. Wang gave an impressive L. Rüedi lecture on: Otology in CHINA: present and future.
Prof. Dr. Decio Castro has partecipated to the courses organized by the ENT Department of the University of Zürich since 1970 and became Director of the Brazilian Division of FIMF in 1989. He presented a brilliant lecture on: The 10th Anniversary of FIMF, the Brazilian Experience.
These two lectures were framed by a fascinating talk given by Dr.med. Dr. phil. Albert Mudry from Lausanne on one of his favorite subjects: Instruments and Mastoidectomy, a Historical Journey and by a stimulating Round Table: Management of Cholesteatoma 2008 (Moderator: Thomas Linder, Participants: Decio Castro, Zheng-Min Wang, Albert Mudry and Ugo Fisch).
5. Production of Teaching Material
The book: ”Tympanoplasty, Mastoidectomy, and Stapes Surgery” by Ugo Fisch, John May and Thomas Linder, G.Thieme Verlag Stuttgart, Germany and New York was successfully presented at the the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) annual meeting in Chicago, September 21-24, 2008. The illustrated Guidelines for temporal bone dissection by U. Fisch and Thomas Linder produced by Karl Storz Tuttlingen were translated next to Chinese, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Spanish also in Russian and Turkish language.
6. Sponsoring
As for the past we are very grateful for the generous donations made by numerous private sponsors in support of our Foundation.
We also acknowledge with deep gratitude the help received by the following companies:
- Karl Storz GmbH & Co, Tuttlingen, Germany for providing instruments and prostheses for our dissection courses in Switzerland and abroad. This help exceeds commercial relations and has contributed to improve the care of patients with ear and skull base diseases throughout the world.
- Bien-Air Surgery SA, Biel, Switzerland for providing the drill-systems for our courses and for developing a new hand piece needed for the precise microsurgical bone work in the middle ear and skull base.
- Leica Microsystem AG, Heerbrugg, Switzerland for supplying their best microscopes for our yearly dissection courses.
- M. Stäubli, Horgen, Switzerland for furnishing their excellent aspiration equipment and, therefore, contributing so much to the success of our yearly dissection courses.
- Coclear TM for the generous sponsoring of the material needed for practising cochlear implantation
- Solvey Pharma AG, Lucerne Switzerland
- Essex Chemie AG, Lucerne Switzerland
7. Conclusions
In 2008 the 10th anniversary of FIMF was celebrated. The great interest for our teaching activities in Switzerland and abroad shows that the surgical philosophy and techniques which have evolved through years of experience still offer to younger generation useful practical ways to solve the problems of their daily temporal bone and skull base practice.
Prof. U. Fisch has reduced his activity in Zürich but Prof. Thomas Linder with the entire staff of the ENT Department of the Cantonal Hospital of Lucerne have taken over the demanding but also gratifying task to keep the “sacred fire” alive so that the clinical part of the FIMF teachings has moved from Zürich to Lucerne.
Prof. Oliver Ullrich, who has succeeded Prof. Peter Groscurth to the position of Head of the Anatomy Department of the University of Zürich has continued the generous support of the Foundation so that in spite of many organisational problems we are able to maintain the desired level of proficiency.
The directors of the various divisions of FIMF, particularly Zheng-Min Wang, Decio Castro and Rodrigo Posada need a special mention and a lot of gratitude for their loyal and efficient help in realizing the aims of the foundation. We are also grateful to many FIMF Fellows who spend a lot of personal efforts in favour of the Foundation. In this sense, we have to mention Krishnamurti Sarmento, in Rio de Janeiro, because it was through his dedication that the Fisch Titanium Prostheses were accepted by ANVISA in Brazil.
It is indeed a very rewarding experience to receive the enthusiastic feedback of younger doctors regarding the result of the microsurgical training received during their training with FIMF.
The fact that every year the FIMF Zürich courses are completely booked, without advertisement, many months ahead of their schedule is the incentive needed to give us the strength to continue our teaching efforts. The fact that many participants take the courses repeatedly goes also to the credit of the tutors and helps to create ties similar to those of a big family.
Prof. U. Fisch, President of FIMF
Zürich, November 5, 2009
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