16, 4th Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street,
Moscow,
Russia
At the beginning of July, I was privileged to participate at the Professor Sergey Kosyakov’s Temporal Bonne Dissection Cadaver course (Moscow Ear Days). This gave me an amazing hands-on experience of exploring the middle ear surgical anatomy performing a dissection on the cadaver material.
The challenge was to try all the types of operations. We carried out tympanoplasty, stapedoplasty, ossiculoplasty, meatoplasty and cochlear implantation. The facial nerve canal, the semicircular canals, the sigmoid sinus and the promontory were identified, and some were skeletonised. Tutors were at hand for help and advice while the participants were drilling.
The workshop conditions were as close to those of the real-life OR as possible, with Carl Zeiss surgical microscopes, Karl Storz drills and instruments. The unique anatomy of every head - the absolute advantage of the cadaver material - taught us to observe and estimate all the details before making the decision. We learned to find the best appropriated surgical approach for different situations. We practised to carefully gain one point without damaging related anatomical structures. Professor S Kosyakov performed the demonstration dissection which he accompanied with a very detailed commentary, generously sharing the experience and revealing the ‘how I do it’ secrets.
The two days of intensive work flew by. Every workshop moment was informative, practically oriented and just awesome, and the event itself was the quintessence of the middle ear surgery experience, theoretical knowledge and professional openness. The stunning views of the Moscow River and the Red Square, the welcome champagne on board of a yacht at the end of the first day, the warm atmosphere with colleagues – these are moments I will also be carrying in my memory.
Learning the ear anatomy with the books is fine, but this would never be enough to become a successful surgeon. Every young surgeon who wants to be effective and safe for patients, should carry out many temporal bone dissections.
I’ll definitely be back to the next course which will take place on 20-21 November in Moscow, Russia.
Report by Vladislav Elovikov, ENT Department, Moscow State Hospital named after F. Inozemtcev; ENT Consultant, Rassvet Clinic. Moscow, Russia.
