Obituary in memory of Giorgio Guidetti

Abstract

Obituary Giorgio is no longer with us. On Sunday 14th of March 2021, only 67 years of age, the profet of the Italian Vestibology, passed away. A deep sorrow spread into the universe of the Italian Vestibology as well as across the border, mourning not only his professional persona, renouned for his study on vertigo and vestibular rehabilitation, but also as a human being, the kind of friend who could fill with inspiration the hearts and the minds of all those lucky enough to cross his path. He was born in Reggio Emilia on the 28th of September 1953. He then graduated and specialised in Otolaryngology in Modena. Following his specialisation in Audiology in Milan, he was influenced by the French school, particularly by Michel Toupet and Alain Semont, with whom he carried on a professional and personal level, for the rest of his life. He found himself at the centre of the vestibology cultural revolution, because whilst in France, he witnessed first hand the creation of the famous therapeutical benign paroxysmal positional vertigo manoeuvre, which he then brought back to Italy and promoted nationwide with great enthusiasm. Thanks to his tireless perseverance in promoting, researching and improving the rehabilitating techniques, he allowed an increasing number of specialists to commit to the study of the internal ear, and in particular of the vertigo, which was therefore upgraded from a collateral and occasional symptom, to an important field of research. From 1996 until 2004 he was a Director of the Audio-vestibology and vestibular rehabilitation in the University Hospital in Modena, and later by the Hospital in Carpi. In 2015 he founded the Vertigo Centre in Modena, which in a few years became a landmark for the vestibular rehabilitation, as well as for the improvement of athletic performances, for Ferrari and Ducati drivers, basket and volleyball athetles. As Professor of Otoneurology in specialisation schools of Neurology, Otorinolaringology and Neurosurgery, in many Italian Universities and Director of many Master Classes in vestibology in Europe, Asia Africa and Latin America, he could pass onto his pupils the importance of the labyrinth, the need to treat it with extreme care during surgical procedures, and the criterias of its rehabilitation. If today we are much more knowledgable on vertigo and on vestibular rehabilitation, this is thanks to what Giorgio sowed in his life, the intricated nerwork of partnerships and collaborations he cultivated and obvioulsly his extensive knowledge on the subject. With his pioneering attitude, he faced topics which nobody thought it would be possible to face, such as the cognitive aspects of the vestibular damage or the extraordinary powers of rehabilitation and vestibular re-training. A modern view on the vestibular organ, projected into the future, especially by improving athletes’ performances, which allowed him to interact with outstanding olympic and paraolympic prefessional athletes. A versatile man who also loved horsemanship and good music, with a deep love for his homeland of Canossa and its history. He was inquisitive as a novice, but confident as a master, who proved capable of gathering a group of people around an idea and establishing the Vestibology Italian Society, of which he was the indisputable President. His passing is a great loss to us all, but we know that his legacy will continue because this group of people, which took shape thanks to him, they are not just professionals and researchers, but mostly friends who with respect, discipline and scientific skills, will be capable to carry on with his mission. Ciao Giorgio