It is with great sadness that we note the passing of a good friend and colleague, Tetsuzo Inouye, MD, PhD. Dr Inouye, or "Ted," as he was known to his many friends and colleagues in otolaryngology and bronchoesophagology around the world, was an outgoing, engaging, and sincere person with strong ties to American academic otolaryngology and to the international medical community interested in advancing the applications of lasers in medicine. Ted completed his otolaryngology residency in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 1961, staying on as an instructor until 1963. His PhD degree in medical science was awarded by the University of Tokyo in 1963. He returned to Tokyo, where he joined the faculty of the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Tokyo, becoming professor and chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology, National Defense Medical School, in 1976.

Among his many activities, Ted was the President of the 6th World Congress of Bronchoesophagology in Tokyo in 1989 and the President of the 13th Congress of the Japan Society for Laser Medicine in 1992. He was a director of the International Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery and a director of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. He was a corresponding member and an active participant in the American Broncho-Esophagological Association and a member of the American Laryngological Association. He was on the editorial boards of Dysphagia and Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. He was the recipient of many awards and honors from both the Japanese and Korean Societies of Otolaryngology and was a visiting professor at 7 prestigious medical schools in the United States and Hungary. He was a frequent contributor to the literature throughout his illustrious career and always made a valuable contribution to our national academic society meetings. We could always count on Ted to make an innovative presentation based on his enormous experience.

On a personal note, Ted was always a delight to be with.

His genuine warmth and great enthusiasm for teaching and education were truly inspiring. He was always helping and nurturing young doctors to achieve their potential and served as a role model and mentor for many physicians beginning their academic careers. We have lost a truly remarkable academic physician who made a tremendous impact on the lives of his patients and students. He will be sorely missed by his lovely wife and family, as well as his many friends throughout the world.

S.M.S.