Congress Report Milan 2022

Milan has been the venue for this 6th edition of the Congress of the Confederation of European Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, CEORL-HNS, from the 29 October to 2 November 2022.

The scientific program has been a mixture of all the ENT sub-specialities, and it was a real opportunity to strengthen the international relationship on a background of a very intense and high-quality program. The president of the congress, Professor Piero Nicolai, the president of the CEORL-HNS, Professor Cem Meco and the chair of the scientific committee, Professor Isabel Vilaseca, have introduced some innovative changes that will almost certainly affect the next editions. Almost 3000 people from 83 different countries attended the meeting. In addition to the keynote lectures, instructional courses and round tables that were received and attended, the mentoring sessions definitely stood out!

This was a unique chance to meet, in a less formal ambient, senior colleagues and top leaders in their specialities around the world and discuss with them both professional and personal challenges in a way to build up a career. It was a great opportunity to discuss details beyond the technical aspects of being a surgeon such as personal challenges - participants felt they could close the gap and really talk “both with the man and the surgeon”!

On the other hand, this was found to be particularly interesting, not just from the young colleagues that were attending the sections, but also from the mentors who really had an opportunity to teach and educate on a broader spectrum, letting their personality to really transpire thanks to the more relaxed atmosphere present during these sections.

The opening ceremony allowed, after the break imposed by the COVID pandemic, to meritoriously recognise the winners of the Golden Medal of the European Board Exam of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, EBEORL (HNS), in front of all the attendees: Dr Georgios I. Garas for 2019, Dr Tobias Engert for 2021 and Dr Arnaud Lambert for 2022.

The cherry on the cake was the glamorous Italian locations of both the congressional and social events that, combined with the unusual warm weather, made the congress unforgettable and just a very pleasant moment to spend with colleagues working elsewhere, sharing experiences and reinforcing friendships.

We are sure that based on this success, colleagues will respond very well to the next meeting that will be held in Dublin on 19 -24 June 2024 (https://www.ceorlhns.org/events).

We all look forward to seeing you there.

Conference reporter: Dr. Daniele Borsetto, United Kingdom

This report first appeared in ENT & Audiology News magazine and e-newsletter, online versions of which are available free of charge to readers everywhere via this link.