Almost 1000 scientists, otolaryngologists, audiologists, phoniatrists, as well as clinical engineers from all over the world will participate in the 32nd Politer Society Meeting and the 2nd World Congress of Otology that will be held in Warsaw and Kajetany. Consequently, from 28 May to 1 June 2019, Poland will become the international capital city of otology – a field of medicine that deals with the physiology, detection, diagnosis and treatment of ear diseases. At the invitation of Prof. Henryk Skarżyński, director of the World Hearing Centre of the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing and the organiser of both the Congresses, specialists and experts from all over the world will present the latest achievements and findings in the fields of otology, neurotology and otosurgery during 50 debates and panels. There will also be 20 special lectures. A novelty in the program will be an abundance of practical trainings and a few dozen demonstration surgeries and workshops organised and performed by the President of the Congress, Prof. H. Skarżyński.

The 32nd Politzer Society Meeting will be held jointly with the 2nd World Congress of Otology under the auspices and direction of IFOS – International Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies – building a bridge between the members of the Politzer Society and the national and continental societies represented in IFOS.

– We aim to create an open forum for discussion and exchange of experience and knowledge between professionals from all corners of the world – says Prof. Henryk Skarżyński – It is a great honour for us that in recognition of our achievements the international community of scientists entrusted us with organising this world congress of otology. During the event, we will not only show our achievements in treatment of partial deafness by means of cochlear implants and the Polish School of Otology, but our guests will also be treated to an amazing concert “Duos of musically talented Patients and Masters” – adds Prof. Skarżyński.

According to data gathered by specialists from the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing during over 26 years of clinical and scientific work, there are over 1 billion people with various hearing problems affecting their day-to-day functioning, especially communication. It is a huge problem of civilisation that generates high social and economic costs. In Poland alone, 1-2 per 1000 newborn babies, around 20 per cent of children and school youth, and 75 per cent of senior citizens suffer from hearing impediments. The day-to-day functioning, speech, mastering of the native and foreign languages, communication, learning, studying and work depend to a large extend on auditory performance and the brain’s ability to receive sounds correctly.

According to WHO (data from 2016), the global costs related to hearing loss are really huge:
• $ 67-107 billion – the costs in the health care system related to hearing disorders, in addition to the cost of equipment
• $ 105 billion – the cost of employees’ lost productivity – the unemployed and those in early retirement
• $ 573 billion – social costs – social isolation, difficulties in communication and stigmatisation
• $ 3.9 billion – the cost of aid in education provided to children aged 5-14 with different hearing problems.

– A good hearing is the foundation for day-to-day communication. However, it must be continuously taken care of through regular examination of hearing performance. Civilisation sometimes has a negative impact on the functioning of hearing, that is why we see a dynamic development of surgical methods of hearing disorder treatment. We are discussing these issues with the most distinguished specialists from all over the world – says Prof. Henryk Skarżyński.

The program of the Congress includes i.a. topics related to tinnitus – unfortunately an increasingly common condition in ever younger patients – and interesting news about robotic surgery of the middle ear, genetic and inborn hearing disorders and digital telemedicine.

The concert “Duos of musically talented Patients and Masters”
The concert will take place on 29 May 2019 in the World Hearing Centre in Kajetany. Musically talented patients of prof. Henryk Skarżyński will perform in vocal or instrumental duos with professional musicians, such as Bogumiła Dziel-Wawrowska, Grzegorz Wilk, Gniewomir Tomczyk, Barbara Kaczyńska, Maciek Miecznikowski, to name a few. The artists will be accompanied by the Divertimento Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Elżbieta Ostrowska. The performing patients will include, among others, Małgorzata Strycharz-Dudziak, Estera Łabiga, Olaf Kaca, Weronika Niczyporuk, and Anna Czupryn with the Tekla Klebetnica band. By initiating and implementing various deafness treatment programs in the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, prof. H. Skarżyński gave his patients not only a chance to learn or work, but also to be engaged in music professionally. Prof. Skarżyński’s patients sing, compose, play instruments, and even release records and give concerts.

The “Beats of Cochlea” International Music Festival of Children, Youths and Adults with Hearing Disorders has been organised in Kajetany for five years with a view to the most talented patients. All of its participants are the best ambassadors of the achievements in the treatment of hearing disorders due to the progress in science and medicine. Some of the festival finalists performed together with the professor during a special session in the European Parliament last year. A concert performed by all the finalists is planned to take place in the European Parliament in Brussels on 24 September 2019.
IFOS – International Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies
A non-political organization representing over 50,000 Otolaryngologists from about 120 member nations. Founded in 1965 to provide continuity between World Congresses, it has evolved to deal on a global basis with the problems of people with ORL disease by means of an active secretariat and committee structure, and conduct lobbying activities at the World Health Organization. The Federation is a leader of the global program for hearing loss prevention; providing interchange between centers, especially in Europe, through the Twin Cities Project.
Politzer Society
One of the oldest and most prestigious scientific societies, whose name derives from the name of the 19th century pioneer in otosurgery and otology – Adam Politzer. It is an elite society whose mission is to create an international forum for scientists dealing with otology, neurotology and skull base surgery. With a view to exchanging knowledge, international congresses are organised every two years. The 1st World Congress of Otology
in Japan initiated cyclical congresses designed to bring together otologists from all over the world every four years. Henryk Skarżyński, a member of the Politzer Society, was appointed the President of the 2nd World Congress of Otology. It represents recognition by the international assembly of scientists of the achievements of Polish otologists and the contribution made by Prof. Skarżyński to the development of global medicine, in particular otology and otosurgery.