Guidelines in otorhinolaryngology, audiology and phoniatrics is the most important mid-year event for professionals in these fields. The Patronate of the National Consultant in Otorhinolaryngology – Professor Henryk Skarżyński guarantees its high substantive level.

The conference took place on 9-11 March 2017 at the Belvedere Hotel in Zakopane. Among 515 participants there were a number of great authorities of Polish medicine – the conference was attended by prof. Ireneusz Kantor, prof. Henryk Kaźmierczak, prof. Janusz Klatka, prof. Krzysztof Kochanek, prof. Wiesław Konopka, prof. Jerzy Kuczkowski, prof. Marek Kurkowski, prof. Grażyna Mielnik-Niedzielska, prof. Jurek Olszewski, prof. Wioletta Pietruszewska, prof. Paweł Stręk, ass. prof. Wojciech Kaźmierczak, dr Leszek Kłębukowski, dr hab. Artur Lorens, dr Jozef Mierzwiński, ass. prof. Artur Niedzielski, dr Paweł Poppe, ass. prof. Marcin Szymański and of course its honorary patron – Professor Henryk Skarżyński.

A total number of 129 lectures and reports and over 20 hours of practical workshops were prepared for the participants. The most popular ones were inaugural lectures, including the presentation by ass. prof. Agnieszka Szczepek from Charite Medical University in Berlin, dedicated to tinnitus. A wide range of listeners participated in a series of lectures and workshops on rehabilitation of patients after implantation, including issues related to sound processors and the lecture by ass. prof. Piotr H. Skarżyński devoted to the latest world reports on this subject.

The growing reputation of the conference resulted in wide interest of commercial exhibitors for whom, as always, a professional exhibition hall was prepared. The products, services and medical solutions were presented by: Ronest, Qpharma, Oticon, Medbryt, Phonak, Olympus, Tactica, Sinutronic, Solinea, Laboclinic, Axfarm, Polpharma, Medipage and GNP Magnusson Medical Apparatus.

The organizers of the conference were: The Institute of Sensory Organs, The Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing and The Society of Polish Otorhinolaryngologists, Phoniatrists and Audiologists. The co-organizer of the event was the Center of Hearing and Speech Medincus, and the media partner was The Practical Medicine Publishing House.

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Due to the great interest in the issue of tinnitus, ass. prof. Piotr H. Skarżyński, MD gave an interview on this issue to Practical Medicine. It was a summary of the First Week of Knowledge about Tinnitus.

During the First Week of Knowledge about Tinnitus, which lasted from 6 till 12 February, there were numerous actions aimed at disseminating information on tinnitus.

Ass. prof. Piotr H. Skarżyński, the director of the Institute of Sensory Organs and scientific secretary of the International Tinnitus Seminar and First World Tinnitus Congress, emphasizes that this subject should be of interest to patients but also to doctors. The action on tinnitus takes a big leap and meets expectations and the needs of patients and doctors. Therefore a compendium of knowledge on tinnitus was published. This publication was prepared by the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing and the Institute of Sensory Organs. The compendium has also appeared in a paper version.

A detailed article on this subject can be found at the following link: https://otolaryngologia.mp.pl/aktualnosci/158879,rosnie-swiadomosc-problemu-szumow-usznych

More than 200 professionals, including teachers, therapists, superintendents and educational staff members, participated in the Congress co-organised with the Olsztyn Board of Education. The event was organized under the honorary patronage of Agata Kornhauser-Duda, the First Lady of Poland. Ass. Prof. Dr. Piotr H. Skarżyński delivered two presentations on Central Auditory Processing Disorders (CAPD) and the introduction of the Stimulator of Polymodal Sensory Perception (SPPS) and the Senses Examination Platform (PBZ).

The Congress is one of the most vital educational events in the first quarter of 2017 organised in a close cooperation between the Orzeł Biały Primary School No.18 in Olsztyn , the Olsztyn Board of Education and the Center of Hearing and Speech Medincus.

In his speech, Ass. Prof. Dr. Piotr H. Skarżyński referred to the hearing screening programme in children from rural areas, which was implemented in 2015 and 2016. The programme has revealed that hearing loss may concern up to 20% of the first-graders from Warmia-Masuria Province. Subsequently, Ass. Prof. Dr. Piotr H. Skarżyński described the fundamentals of ear anatomy and hearing physiology, bringing particular attention to the main threats to hearing capacity of children. The most important part of the presentation was devoted to CAPD, which is of interest to teachers and psychotherapists. These professionals are usually the first ones who both observe dangerous symptoms in a given child and who initiate the processes of the child’s hearing examination and subsequent therapy.

Additionally, Natalia Czajka from the Center of Hearing and Speech Medincus presented the Stimulator of Polymodal Sensory Perception and the Senses Examination Platform, general aspects of the two devices, as well as the principal aspects of therapy with the use of SPPS.

Ms. Ewa Łukasiewicz-Gołębiowska, the head of the Counselling Centre No.3 in Olsztyn, gave her speech on the new model for the implementation of counselling services (the original Polish title: ‘Nowy model organizowania pomocy psychologiczno –pedagogicznej’). Furthermore, Marzena Życzko, the principal of the Orzeł Biały Primary School No.18 in Olsztyn put forward the innovative idea of auditory-motor-cognitive exercises for any child (the original Polish name of her speech was ‘Słuchowo – ruchowo – umysłowa gimnastyka dla każdego smyka’).

Courtesy of GNP Magnusson and the Warmia-Masuria subsidiary of the Center of Hearing and Speech Medincus, the participants of the Congress had an opportunity to do a brief hearing examination.

Owing to the fact that the event attracted an avid interest, its organisers consider extending it Poland-wide, and discuss further collaboration.

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During the 4th International Conference of Otolaryngology, Audiology and Communication Disorders, held in January 2017, at the session devoted to otology, ass. prof. Piotr Henryk Skarżyński MD delivered presentations of four original works on new methods of hearing loss treatment.

The Emirate Congress of Otorhinolaryngology, Audiology and Communication Disorders has brought together specialists from more than 30 countries around the world. It consisted of 5 specialized workshops and 15 panels, during which about 300 lectures were delivered. In one of the panels on issues related to otology, ass. prof. Piotr Henryk Skarżyński MD presented four lectures which had great interest among the present participants.

In the first presentation there were introduced, the results of patients of different age, who according to the classification of deafness as proposed by Prof. Henryk Skarżyński, were included in the group of Electro-Natural Stimulation (PDT-ENS). Another work included the description of one of the most extensive materials in the world containing results of BAHA Attract patients. The third article outlined the results of patients with a Bonebridge implant system obtained during six months of rehabilitation. Last but not least was the evaluation of the latest couplers used during Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) implantation. Particular attention has been paid to the benefits of direct round window stimulation as an optimal surgical solution, taking into account the individual anatomy of the patient.

The Center of Hearing and Speech, Ltd. was conferred an honorary distinction in the ‘Pracodawca Jutra’ contest organised by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development.

The objective of the contest is to recognise those employers who take various measures to give good guidance and professional training to young people. Such important activities make it possible to identify the specific group of people who could potentially fit the personnel policy of a given company. Furthermore, it allows to unearth tallented and creative professionals as well as to provide them with adequate work-related training. At the same time, investments in recruitment processes can be minimised, because the ability to invest in human capital, especially in the young people is more important.

In the three previous editions organised thus far, 26 enterpreneurs running large, small and medium-sized businesses were awarded the ‘Pracodawca Jutra’ titles. Additionally, 5 companies received distinctions in the competition.

During the Grand Closing Gala on 6 December 2016, five companies were given the ‘Pracodawca Jutra’ titles, and other four received distinctions on being identified as good practice. In this year’s edition the prizes were handed by Patrycja Klarecka (the President of PARP), Nina Dobrzyńska (the Deputy President of PARP) and Paweł Chorąży (the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Economic Development). The honourable distinction for the Center of Hearing and Speech, Ltd. was handed to the company’s Managing Director and Board Member,  Ass. Prof. Dr. Piotr Henryk Skarżyński, M.D., Ph.D., MSc. The Gala was led by journalist Wojciech Szeląg.

The ‘Pracodawca Jutra’ titles were awarded to the following companies Rafako Inc., Kronospan Szczecinek, Ltd.; Comarch Inc.; Euvic, Ltd. and Biuro Rachunkowe Biurex, Ltd. Sitech, Ltd., Man Bus, Ltd., Multiserwis, Ltd. and the Center of Hearing and Speech, Ltd. have received honourable distinctions.

Ass. Prof. Dr. Peter H. Skarżyński M.D., Ph.D., Msc. was interviewed by the “Życie Olsztyna” monthly magazine about the issues of hearing disorders and their treatment. For a more comprehensive report, see the article that can be found in the printed version of the “Nowe Życie Olsztyna”, No. 19 (190) 2016 or in its electronic version available online on: http://zycieolsztyna.pl/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/NZO-100116.pdf

On July 14, 2016 the International Scientific Conference ‘Hearing Implants and Music’ took place for the second time in Kajetany. The meeting congregates the prominent scientists, clinicians and patients with implants, including participants of the Cochlear Beats Festival.

One of the most important medical programs implemented in the World Hearing Center in Kajetany is the treatment of partial deafness. Ass. Prof. Dr. Piotr H. Skarżyński M.D., Ph.D., MSc. discussed this topic during the conference.

–Thanks to the preservation of residual hearing and combination of physiological and electric hearing we can ensure that patients receive music as naturally as possible.

Advances in implant technology and otosurgery have been making it possible to, firstly,  preserve postoperative residual hearing to an increasing extent, and, secondly, to broaden the range of treatment alternatives for people with partial deafness.
Nowadays, patients with normal hearing even up to 1500Hz can undergo cochlear implantation. The proper combination of physiological hearing with the electric hearing has allowed us to get a better perception of music, similar to the natural one.

Development in implantation has also been translating into better results in rehabilitation.
Thanks to the long-term observation of patients with cochlear implants in Kajetany we can can see the achievements in the treatment of hearing disorders obtained by using advances in science and medicine.

For more information see the latest issue of: Słyszę.