The accredited international course of the first category called "Modern approach to the surgical treatment of the middle ear disease", organized by the ENT Clinic of the Military Medical Academy, in collaboration with the Academic Association of ENT Clinic of northwest Switzerland and the ENT BAL International Association, was held at the Military Medical Academy.

The Acting Head of the Military Medical Academy Colonel Prof. Dr. Zoran Segrt in his opening remarks said that the MMA is often a host of professional gatherings with international participation and that it is of invaluable importance for maintaining and improving the quality of treatment. He said that the development of modern technology, especially over the last three decades, opened up great opportunities in the surgical treatment of the middle and inner ear diseases. That enabled the establishment of new standards in otosurgery and thus the priority was not only to eliminate the illness but to preserve the functional structure of the outer, middle and inner ear. This significantly improves patient’s quality of life and creates a new dimension of humanity in the process of treatment which is of great importance not only for a patient but also for his family.

The Acting Head of the ENT Clinic Colonel Assistant Dr. Milanko Milojevic welcomed lecturers from the University Hospital of Zurich, Professor Probst and Professor Huber, as well as Professor Dr. Michael Podvinec the president of the ENT BAL International Association in Basel, who was also the moderator of the course.

In addition, course guest lecturers were Professor Dr. Dragoslav Djeric from the ENT Clinic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Professor Milan Stankovic the ENT Clinic, Medical Faculty, University of Nis, as well as the president of the program committee of the course Professor Dr. Dragan Dankuc from the ENT Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad.

During this two-day course, participants had the opportunity to learn about the indications for this type of surgery, required preoperative radiological preparation, equipment used, surgical techniques, complications that might occur and ways of their treatment, as well as about innovations in this type of surgery. Also, live surgery was performed during which three different operations were presented showing the modern way of surgical treatment of the middle ear diseases. One surgery was for the first time shown in Serbia – stapedectomy, the one that is performed with a special prosthesis.

The course, which was primarily intended for the education of residents and young specialists who would like to deal with otosurgery, but also useful for experienced surgeons, was attended by a large number of otolaryngologists from Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska.