Skull base surgery is making a bold return in 2022. The 31st annual meeting of the North American Skull Base Society (NASBS) was held at The Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass, in Phoenix, Arizona, February 18-20, 2022. As usual, there was a very popular pre-meeting dissection course before the meeting, February 16-17, 2022. Dr. John Golfinos, chairman of Neurosurgery at NYU Langone Health System was the President who shepherded the NASBS through this trying time over the past two years. The meeting was an unqualified success. There were 448 submitted abstracts which produced 233 oral proffered presentations and 136 posters. The meeting drew 733 attendees from all around the U.S., as well as there were international attendees from Europe and Asia. Honored guest speakers included Michel Kalamarides, MD of Pitié-Salpetrière Hôpital (Faculté de Medécine, Sorbonne- Université), Paris France; Douglas Kondziolka, MD and Chandranath Sen, MD, both from NYU and Dr. Robert Spetzler, MD from Barrow Neurologic Institute (retired). Frankly, the science was outstanding, the offerings diverse and it was great to see friends and colleagues again.
At the time of this writing, next week, the 8th World Federation of Skull Base Societies Meeting is scheduled to be held March 22-27, 2022 in the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The meeting is hosted by Luis Alencar Borba, WFSBS Meeting President, Jose’ Alberto Landeiro, WFSBS Honorary President, Basant Misra, WFSBS President and Fernando Dias, WFSBS President-elect. The program is packed with content covering every aspect of the diagnosis and care of skull base disorders discussed by experts from literally around the world.
Just as exciting, the 14th Congress of the European Skull Base Society is scheduled for Riva del Garda, Italy, April 20-23, 2022. Similarly, the program is packed with the experts from around the world, but especially from all over Europe, discussing the latest treatments regarding skull base pathology. Once again, at the time of this writing, Prof. Giovanni Danesi of Bergamo, Italy and Prof. Davide Locatelli of Varese, Italy look forward to welcoming everyone to one of the most beautiful conference venues in the world!
The NASBS is looking forward to partnering with the 2022 CNS program committee arranging a special symposium on skull base surgery at the annual meeting in San Francisco, October 8-12, 2022. In addition, at the annual board meeting of the NASBS there was preliminary discussion of trying to organize a formal match for neurosurgery skull base fellowships. Dr. Siviero Agazzi, President-elect of the NASBS, is going to work on a formal proposal in the upcoming year. To recall, skull base fellowships can now achieve CAST accreditation. Next year’s NASBS meeting is scheduled for February 17-19, 2023 in Tampa, Florida at the JW Marriott Water Street. Dr. Lee Zimmer, rhinologist and anterior skull base expert from Cincinnati is the current President and will be presiding over this meeting.
The NASBS also recently awarded its domestic and international travel scholarships. These scholarships fund international and US surgeons to attend the NASBS meeting and visit a participating skull base center of their choosing for a one week observership. This is an extremely popular program which is currently funded by individual donations from academic centers. This year’s winners include Dr. Ghassen Gader from the Trauma and Burn Center, Tunisia, who will be visiting Thomas Jefferson University, Dr. Jaskaran Singh Gosal from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India, who will be visiting Mayo Clinic Rochester and Dr. Guarav Tyagi from National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India, who will be observing at University of Miami.
We look forward to seeing everyone in Philadelphia
Paul A Gardner, MD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Michael J Link, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
Daniel M Prevedello, MD, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.