On February 3 and 4 2014, in the World Hearing Center in Kajetany had been organized the 16th Window Approach Workshop WAW. This very popular series of workshops is addressed to otosurgeons and audiologists from all countries, wanting to improve their knowledge and skills in the field of auditory implants. A distinguishing feature of WAW workshops, responsible for their particular attraction for surgeons, are demonstration surgeries performed by Prof. Henryk Skarżyński, and hands-on training in the modern training laboratory of the WHC, during which participants exercise implantation techniques on temporal bones.
In the present edition of the WAW workshop participated 21 surgeons and audiologists from such countries as: Egypt, Senegal, Kirgizstan, Moldova, Ukraine, Tajikistan and Belarus, as well as Poland.
Scientific program of the WAW workshops focuses on application of auditory implants in treatment of partial deafness, i.e. cases, when patient’s hearing dysfunction touches only some of the frequencies (usually high ones). In such cases, preservation of the existing natural hearing during surgery is of utmost importance. For that end prof. H. Skarżyński elaborated and perfected a special, requiring special skills surgical technique, in which the inner ear is approached through one of the natural openings in cochlear bone – the round window, and not, like it was done before, through the hole drilled in this bone. Surgeons from the entire world come to WAW workshops to learn this method, and to become acquainted with the achievements of experts from the World Hearing Center of the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing. During lectures they have the opportunity to learn the state of the art in audiology, bioimaging, engineering, medicine and rehabilitation regarding such topics as diagnostics and qualification of patients for different types of auditory implants, newest models of implants and their fitting, difficult and interesting surgical cases and assessment of patients’ benefits after treatment.
Unswerving interest of international mileu of otosurgeons and audiologists in the WAW workshops inspires the World Hearing Center to continue organizing them, the next WAW workshop will be organized already this spring.
