Otolaryngology Updates 2026
Houston, We Have Appendicitis: Planning for Procedural Medicine in Exploration Class Spaceflight
OSMED is proud to participate in Otolaryngology Updates 2026, hosted by UC Irvine. This special session features an all OSMED panel exploring one of the most urgent and complex questions in space medicine: how do we plan for procedural and surgical emergencies during long duration, exploration class missions?
As human spaceflight moves beyond low Earth orbit toward the Moon and Mars, medical autonomy becomes essential. Communication delays, limited resources, and constrained crew skill sets demand thoughtful preparation for acute surgical conditions such as appendicitis. This panel will examine what it takes to anticipate, train for, and manage procedural emergencies in space environments where evacuation is not an option.
The session brings together leaders in aerospace medicine, surgery, and systems design to discuss:
• Risk assessment and medical contingency planning for exploration missions
• Procedural capability in confined, resource limited environments
• Training requirements for non surgeon crew members
• Ethical and operational decision making in deep space
Moderator
Dr. Kaleigh Stabenau
Panelists
Dr. Erik Antonsen
Dr. Dana Levin
Dr. Jennifer Rochlis
Phnam Bagley
This webinar begins Friday, February 20, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET and is part of the UC Irvine Otolaryngology Updates 2026 program.
Registration is free and open to the public!
We encourage OSMED members and the broader space medicine community to attend and join this important discussion at the intersection of surgery, systems engineering, and exploration mission design.