This year’s AAO-HNS meeting in Indianapolis was both extremely educational and a ton of fun!
For me, the week kicked off with Fabulous Friday, the American Neurotology Society’s all-day program. We spent eight plus hours diving into topics such as cochlear implants, facial nerve disorders, skull base tumors, radiation for tumors, and more. The panels were lively, the talks were outstanding, and true to form, I couldn’t resist asking plenty of questions and offering comments when appropriate.
When asking a question, we’re asked to state our name and where we’re from, so my questions or comments usually begin:
“Those were wonderful talks — thank you so much. I’m Michael Seidman from AdventHealth Orlando…”
During one session on chordomas and chondromas, I closed my comment by saying:
“For any residents or medical students in the crowd, when you get a second, look up what a physalliferous cell is.” It is relevant to the discussion!
That got a few laughs, it’s my “can’t-help-myself” professorial instinct kicking in (I always have the urge to teach)!
By mid-morning, I’d asked four questions or comments. Then Miriam Redleaf from Chicago stood up and began her question with:
“Hi, I’m Michael Seidman from Orlando.”
The room erupted in laughter. Next, Sujana Chandrasekhar stood up and said:
“I’m also Michael Seidman from Orlando — but I’m also Miriam Redleaf!”
The laughter continued, and I heard that the joke carried on throughout the day. Later, I heard that when Gerard Gianoli’s panel had no audience questions, he asked, “Is Michael Seidman in the audience?” (I wasn’t!)
That night, the Otosclerosis Study Group met for our annual business session and evening program, including great camaraderie, fascinating talks, and a wonderful dinner organized by the tireless Dr. John McKelveen.
The official AAO-HNS meeting kicked off the next morning with several awards, followed by an inspiring talk on compassion and empathy by my close colleague, Dr. Jim Netterville.
Then came my panel: “PARDON THE OTORUPTION”, held Sunday, October 12th from 8–9 AM in Wabash 2 at the convention center. I invited four terrific panelists—Drs. Sei Babu, Sujana Chandrasekhar, David Friedland, and Maja Svrakic. Each had one minute to tackle 12 controversial topics in Otology/Neurotology, with Dr. Sonya Malekzedeh serving as the “judge.”
Armed with buzzers, Sonya and I could cut them off if they got too long-winded, not snarky enough, or (heaven forbid) boring! The audience served as the jury, giving thumbs-up or thumbs-down. Points were awarded for sharp insights, citing relevant articles, humor, or general brilliance.
To add even more fun, I bought Squid Game-themed costumes three months in advance! Sonya and I were in the pink guard uniforms (yes, security asked me to remove my mask in the convention center), while the panelists wore the iconic green tracksuits.
The finale? Each contestant had to write a Haiku on a surprise topic revealed seven minutes before the end. Dr. Sei Babu took home the win — along with a beautiful bottle of Leonetti Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (98 points!), a ribbon, and, of course, a bottle of Peak365 Natural Immunity Formula for playing along.
Here were a few of the comments:
It was an awesome session, had me laughing and learning the whole time! (Nathan Jacob, med student doing research year with John Carey, MD at Hopkins)
Best Show in town! Congratulations, I really enjoyed Oto-disruption, you’ve taken the nerd out of nerd-otology (Simon Angeli, MD, Univ of Miami)
Great talk! Great Humor, really educational and fun (Stuart Sabol, MD)
That was an outrageous session you led this morning, congrats on your creativity while keeping us both entertained and educated! Really well done! (Dennis Poe, Mass Eye and Ear)
This was really fun! Thank you, Michael, for organizing and all the work and care you put into this; your work showed, and it was received very well. Fantastic job, very motivating for all of us. The feedback has been excellent. Amazingly fun! Bravo, Michael
Today, I wrapped up my final course of the meeting: “Novel Techniques for Ossicular Reconstruction; No Prosthesis Necessary,” which I’ve co-taught with Dr. Eric Kraus for about 15 years. We demonstrate several reconstruction methods for the ossicular chain without prostheses, especially since prostheses often slip and leave patients with conductive hearing loss. Whenever possible, we restore the chain the way nature and G-d intended, maximizing the chance for improved hearing.
All in all, it was a fantastic meeting — full of learning, laughter, and connection. Time to head home, recharged and grateful.
Dr. Seidman has no relevant conflicts of interest to report.
Image by Pandagolik / Getty Images
