The pandemic and its consequences have characterized the past years. With its aftermaths barely gone, quite seamlessly, further long-established stability was disrupted in Europe. Ovid already mentioned 43 before Christ, “Omnia mutantur, nihil interit” meaning everything is moving, and nothing is vanishing.
Even when the pandemic will finally be under control all over the world and peace-time returns, more unexpectedness is due to come in the future. The question arises of what we as surgeons have learned from the past and where there might be more possibilities to push boundaries. Effects of lockdowns on COVID-19 mortality had no obvious positive health effects but instead led to economic and social costs according to a recent literature review and meta-analysis.
This special issue aims to gain expert opinions in our field and beyond on the effects of the “shake-up.” We are both between senior residency and junior consultancy. We consider ourselves young and optimistic. We want to see the current status as an opportunity in and for our subject area and beyond. Examples therefore of the positive impacts we can draw include (but are not limited to):
1. From the perspective of a Head & Neck and Facial Plastics surgeon: pushing boundaries in the oncological ENT world and changes from the patients' perspective- towards a more positive self-awareness/ esteem in facial plastics.
2. From a chemosensory perspective: effects of olfactory dysfunction and how to reverse it. Possibilities for the future.
3. From the perspective of a chronic disease patient in Otorhinolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery: more health awareness leads to better compliance. Better control of chronic diseases.
4. From a clinical research and educational perspective in Otorhinolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery: better prospects due to innovations/studies and better surgical teaching in our subject area. Pushing boundaries toward better medical training. “This is not going to hurt”.
5. From an Otorhinolaryngology- Emergency Medicine perspective: impact on clinical practice towards better collaborations. Pushing boundaries toward a more holistic approach.
6. From a language perspective: more opportunities in language/speech development and learning.
7. From a charitable and an economic perspective in surgery: more caring about others and not-so-fortunate people and using time more effectively.
8. From a gender equality perspective: pushing boundaries (towards a more gender-equal system in our surgical subject).
The pandemic and its consequences have characterized the past years. With its aftermaths barely gone, quite seamlessly, further long-established stability was disrupted in Europe. Ovid already mentioned 43 before Christ, “Omnia mutantur, nihil interit” meaning everything is moving, and nothing is vanishing.
Even when the pandemic will finally be under control all over the world and peace-time returns, more unexpectedness is due to come in the future. The question arises of what we as surgeons have learned from the past and where there might be more possibilities to push boundaries. Effects of lockdowns on COVID-19 mortality had no obvious positive health effects but instead led to economic and social costs according to a recent literature review and meta-analysis.
This special issue aims to gain expert opinions in our field and beyond on the effects of the “shake-up.” We are both between senior residency and junior consultancy. We consider ourselves young and optimistic. We want to see the current status as an opportunity in and for our subject area and beyond. Examples therefore of the positive impacts we can draw include (but are not limited to):
1. From the perspective of a Head & Neck and Facial Plastics surgeon: pushing boundaries in the oncological ENT world and changes from the patients' perspective- towards a more positive self-awareness/ esteem in facial plastics.
2. From a chemosensory perspective: effects of olfactory dysfunction and how to reverse it. Possibilities for the future.
3. From the perspective of a chronic disease patient in Otorhinolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery: more health awareness leads to better compliance. Better control of chronic diseases.
4. From a clinical research and educational perspective in Otorhinolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery: better prospects due to innovations/studies and better surgical teaching in our subject area. Pushing boundaries toward better medical training. “This is not going to hurt”.
5. From an Otorhinolaryngology- Emergency Medicine perspective: impact on clinical practice towards better collaborations. Pushing boundaries toward a more holistic approach.
6. From a language perspective: more opportunities in language/speech development and learning.
7. From a charitable and an economic perspective in surgery: more caring about others and not-so-fortunate people and using time more effectively.
8. From a gender equality perspective: pushing boundaries (towards a more gender-equal system in our surgical subject).