The 2nd International Symposium Computer Aided Surgery around the Head (CAS-H) 2004 took place in Berne under the auspices of the NCCR Co-Me. CAS-H brings together those individuals throughout the world, who, by their contributions and activities in the areas of research, clinical study, and clinical use, are indicating interest in Computer Aided Surgery around the Head. It serves as a forum for the exchange of information of both an investigative and clinical nature, which relates to preoperative planning, simulation, intraoperative execution, and postoperative evaluation of surgical procedures around the head by means of computer assistance. It promotes a new partnership between physicians and technologists as a necessary basis for the successful integration of computer aided surgical tools and techniques into the daily clinical routine.

Besides eleven scientific sessions addressing different surgical disciplines and technological areas, the program was composed of poster presentations, live video surgery sessions, round table discussions, and hands-on workshops using latest commercial CAS-H technology. Several Co-Me members presented their research work and participated in the round table discussions. One of the highlights of the meeting was a hands-on educational workshop in the facilities of the Department of Anatomy involving cadaver dissection. Latest CAS-H technologies were introduced to the surgeons for microsurgical interventions in the paranasal sinus and skull base surgery.

Co-Me honoured Prof. Dr. Dr. Stefan Hassfeld, University of Heidelberg, Department Oral- and Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, with the CAS-H Award for Excellence in Computer Aided Surgery around the Head. He was rewarded for his continuous contribution to the field, such as his recently introduced surgical robot system RobaCKa that is used for milling complex trajectories, i.e. with relevant positional and angular changes, autonomously in the head area. The Best Poster Award went to the group of Prof. Dr. W. Freysinger (Member of the Scientific Advisory of Co-Me) et al., G. Diakov and Dr. F. Kral(Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria) for their work on A Graphical Evaluation-Tool for Application Accuracy and the Best Paper Award was given to PD Dr. Ch Nimsky et al., Dr. O. Ganslandt, Dr. P. Grummich, Dr. R. Fahlbusch (University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany) and Dr. G. A. Sorensen (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA) for their work on Diffusion Tensore Imaging Based Neuronavigation.

Outstanding scientific contributions of the attendees demonstrated the high symposium level. Strong scientific impact was shown impressively, when surgeons from all the surgical disciplines around the head and engineers met to exchange latest ideas of computer and robot assistance in the operating room. The next CAS-H Meeting will take place, September 1-3, 2005 at the Charité in Berlin, Germany.