Introduction

Abstract

In 1864, Anton von Tröltsch from Würzburg, Adam Politzer from Vienna, and Hermann Schwartze from Halle, the 3 most well-known otologists of that era, launched the first journal dedicated solely to the ear. This in fact became the first Otolaryngology subspecialty journal. In that spirit, it is my extraordinary honor to introduce this special Otology edition of the World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. As the as the practice of otology has changed dramatically over the past 100 years, the next century promises new and revolutionary treatments for inner ear disorders, treatments based on translational science that this and future issues of the WJOHNS will highlight. A century ago surgery of the ear was quite limited. Adam Politzer's influential textbook of otology highlighted the myriad of treatments for ear disease, most of which involved irrigations and local therapies, and only advocated surgery for life-threatening infections. Over the past century, coincident with advances in antisepsis, anesthesia, microscopy and other technologies, our specialty saw the advent of such revolutionary operations as the endolymphatic sac operation, microsurgical resection of skull base tumors, stapedectomy, and cochlear implantation, to name but a few. Advances in science, including the sequencing of the human genome, has now given us an unprecedented understanding of the molecular mechanisms of hearing and balance. This in turn has sparked a new wave of translational research that will ultimately turn otology on its head yet again, as our field transitions from surgery to molecular therapies for disorders of hearing and balance. Gene and stem cell therapies and new treatments based on our understanding of the molecular pathways of cochlear and vestibular function will arise over the coming decades, opening new opportunities for surgical advances, and perhaps making surgery obsolete in many cases. We are proud to present this inaugural Otology edition of the WJOHNS, offering a glimpse into this exciting future.