For surgeons, excellence in the operating room begins long before the first incision. This is especially true for otology and temporal bone surgeons. Their success is built on a deep understanding of temporal bone anatomy, careful surgical planning, and countless hours of deliberate practice. These principles formed the foundation of this week’s seminar that brought together close to 40 fellows from more than 20 countries to Schloss Arenberg from June 21 to 27, 2026.
The course was led by course director Dr. Samuel H. Selesnick from Weill Cornell Medicine, who was present for the 20th time, co-course director Dr. Gerhard Rasp from the General Hospital of Salzburg, who was present for the 31st time, and seven other international experts. From the USA, Dr. Nikolas H. Blevins from Stanford University (11th participation), Dr. Lawrence R. Lustig from Columbia University (sixth participation), and Dr. Kristen Yancey from Weill Cornell Medicine (third participation) served the program. From Europe, Dr. Christoph Arnoldner (Medical University of Vienna) joined for the 11th time, Dr. Sebastian Roesch (University Hospital Regensburg) for the 16th time, Dr. Jan Boucek (Charles University) for the second time, and Dr. Cem Meco (Ankara University) for the 33rd time.
We would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Selesnick and Dr. Arnoldner, who not only taught at the course in Salzburg but also at a satellite symposium the week before in Croatia!
“The fellows learned about temporal bone anatomy, tympanoplasty and mastoidectomy for cholesteatoma, tympanoplasty for tympanic membrane repair, stapes surgery for otosclerotic conductive hearing loss, cochlear implant surgery for sensorineural hearing loss, the treatment of temporal bone trauma, and surgeries for treating cancer of the temporal bone,” summarized the course director.
This seminar marked the course director’s 20th participation in OMI courses in the specialities of both otolaryngology and otology and temporal bone surgery. When asked why he continuously supports the OMI programs, he explained his commitment in a meaningful statement:
“I am proud to celebrate my 20th year of participation in the OMI seminars. The mission of educating fellows from countries with limited teaching resources remains the driving force of the seminar, and one that resonates with my personal values. The fellows were passionate learners, which was motivating for me and the faculty. Furthermore, it was satisfying meeting participants and hearing about their personal and professional experiences. At times, these discussions have led to extended professional relationships that have lasted years.”
One of the defining features of the seminar was the temporal bone labs. During the one-of-a-kind hands-on training sessions, fellows were able to apply concepts discussed in the lecture hall to real surgical scenarios using specimens and state-of-the-art equipment. Working side-by-side with expert faculty and vendors from Medtronic (Martin Lombard, Tin Kauric, and Christoph Kaiser), MED-EL (Dominik Schuberth and Christine Mühlöcker), and Karl Storz (Bernhard Brunnbauer), participants refined essential techniques and strengthened their clinical knowledge in a highly interactive learning environment. Some of the techniques that were practiced were canaloplasty, stapedotomy, mastoidectomies, cochleostomy, and labyrinthectomy.
We would like to thank Medtronic, MED-EL, and Karl Storz for their support and top-tier equipment that made the labs a resounding success!
Sangyun Cha, MD
OMI fellow from Czech Republic
“I was fascinated by the presentations on implantable systems, specifically bone conduction systems and cochlear implants, held by Dr. Rasp and Dr. Lustig. It was very interesting to get to know more about their management and advice for complicated patients.”
Adekunle Adeyemo, MD
OMI fellow from Nigeria
“A common theme across all presentations was the encouragement to keep practising and continuously improving. While complications are undesirable, a surgeon should not shy away from necessary surgeries out of fear of complications. Rather, we should proceed with care, consult mentors and senior colleagues when needed, while remaining mindful of patient safety and standards of care.”
Blagovesta Spasova, MD, PhD
OMI fellow from Bulgaria
“We had the opportunity to perform several procedures on specimens, and we were provided with products that are currently used in the treatment of patients with otologic pathologies, including cochlear implants and middle ear prostheses. I also had the unique opportunity to work with the OTOARM, a high-end system that enables atraumatic insertion of cochlear implants into the inner ear.”
Christian Scheibner, MD, PD
OMI fellow from Austria
“My personal highlight was Dr. Samuel H. Selesnick’s lecture on temporal bone histopathology and VII N anatomy. He presented in an extremely clear and well-structured manner, and combined anatomical and histopathological knowledge of the temporal bone. I am motivated to use these new skills in my department.”
