Welcome & Invitation
Dear friends and colleagues,
from March 29 – April 1, 2012, Two World Class Meetings will be held in One Event in Vienna, Austria:
The 5th World Congress for ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY of the BRAIN, SKULL BASE & SPINE
combined with
The First Global Update on FESS, THE SINUSES & THE NOSE
When the 1st World Congress for ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY of the BRAIN, SKULL BASE & SPINE took place in Pittsburgh, USA in 2005, especially transnasal intracranial approaches were considered very controversial, if not heretic, by some. Reliable and safe closure of large skull base defects still presented a major technical and surgical challenge then. Today, endoscopic approaches to pituitary and other lesions of the sellar, parasellar and clival regions have become the gold standard at many departments worldwide already.
The 5th World Congress for ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY of the BRAIN, SKULL BASE & SPINE in Vienna will deal with the fascinating and sometimes breathtaking latest developments of endoscopic possibilities along and through skull base, inside the brain and spine. New achievements have been made in all sectors, Trans Orbital NeuroEndoscopic Surgery (TONES) being just one of them. Image guided Navigation has come of age, providing unseen-before-accuracy; 3-D endoscopy, magnificent HD endoscopic cameras and sophisticated instrumentation will be on display and used during numerous live on-stage demonstration dissections, performed by the masters and pioneers of the speciality.
The First Global Update on FESS, THE SINUSES & THE NOSE
It was over 25 years ago that the first publications and consequently, courses on FESS appeared – the beginning of an unparalleled success story. From its humble beginnings in the 1970s to the sophisticated potential of today's extended applications, the First Global Update will bring together the pioneers and today's most renowned endoscopists, to evaluate the achievements of the last 25 years: where we have failed, where we should change or modify our techniques. Where can we avoid surgery? Experts will try to give the answers! Any new surgical tricks, new sophisticated instruments, endoscopes, cameras, navigational tools? What is the current status of balloon-based technology? Come and see it in Vienna!
There will be over 20 surgical live demonstrations by experts on the best anatomical specimens available, provided and prepared by Professor M. Tschabitscher from the Vienna Anatomy Department.
Live video sessions of unedited surgical procedures with original soundtracks will give you that authentic "theatre feeling" including the "oops" and true troubles, as if happening the very moment you watch.
Registration fees especially for "early birds" and those 35 years and younger will be affordably low to allow participation for young doctors in training, who frequently cannot afford more expensive meetings on such a high educational level – they are encouraged to turn in their abstracts for oral or video presentations and posters.
It is our privilege to invite you to this outstanding event, which will attract the majority of the world's leading authorities in the respective fields. We aim to provide a unique global update and "going stronger“ than ever since its introduction more than 25 years ago...
So come, join us and share your experience with the global "endoscopic community"!
On behalf of the Austrian Societies of ORL, H&NS and Neurosurgery:
 Heinz Stammberger, M.D. Professor and Head Department of General ORL, H&NS Medical University Graz |
|
 Hannes Braun, M.D. Secretary General ORL |
 Verena Gellner , M.D.Secretary General , Neurosurgery |
Michael Mokry, M.D. 
