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Hansjoerg F. Leu, M.D.

President Elect ISMISS 2008-2011

Since its foundation in 1989, the International Society for Minimally Invasive
Spinal Surgery (ISMISS / www.ismiss.com affiliated to SICOT) aims for well
controlled information and methodical instruction in the rapidly evolving field of spinal surgery.
So starting in the US and central Europe in the eighties, since the nineties a rapid growth
was to observe in Korea and Japan, in the young 21th century also in China. Respectively
interested groups of active spinal surgeons brought up the new techniques and their experiences to periodically organized meetings under the auspices of ISMISS. The goal remains to allow first hand information on new techniques,
their concepts with well defined indications, limits and results. As in other fields of surgery, minimal invasive techniques challenge today former golden standards and sollicitate our critical evaluation and responsibility for well defined respective clinical practice.
So all over the world several courses are now organized under the auspices of ISMISS under this commitment.
Beside technical and operative aspects also clinical analysis of indications, learning-curves and follow-up criteria deserve our interest in worldwide economically restricted conditions and an evident need for outcome quality control.
So also a need is evident for ISMISS to define common sense definitions and guidelines,
helping so all active partners in the field of minimal invasive spinal surgery to orient themselves in the rapid evolution in this field.
So in the nearby 20 years tradition of ISMISS, also this first specific meeting under the auspices if ISMISS in Turkey shall reflect an up-date on already done proven steps in this field, the actual state of the art and ongoing innovative developments in this continuously evolving branch of spinal surgery. We thank Dr. S.
Tolgay from Ankara and his group for the superb organization of this meeting.
It is with great pleasure that we see the large interest of our colleges in Turkey.
We are convinced that such an exchange between local and international pioneers and experts sharing the course faculty promise to contribute to a vivid and collegial atmosphere of this first turkish meeting and making many new friendships and bridges with this amazing

country.
 

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Tolgay SATANA, MD

National Representative of ISMISS

On behalf of International Organizing Committee

'Primum nil nocere' (Never harm) principle has been the primary principle of medicine since the Hypocrates era. As surgical treatment methods in general evolve towards less invasive procedures, former invasive spinal surgery also climbs up rapidly an analogous ladder of evolution.
Although minimal invasive spinal surgery has become more popular along with the improving optic systems in the last two decades, it has always prevailed in throughout the past century.
Beside ISMISS, other spinal societies hosted the early platforms for exchanging information.
However, their meetings often underperformed innovative expectations.
Sometimes minimal invasive interventions were just lost among glorious implants and material intensive surgery.
That is why various local branches of ISMISS, e.g. Swiss branch organized 25 annual meetings in Zurich/Switzerland, focussing mainly on minimal invasive spinal interventions. Where in conventional spine meetings in the last decade present,
minimal invasive spinal surgery has been included into the programs with individual presentations.
Now for the first time in Turkey, this meeting will be dedicated in its program to the entire range of today's minimal invasive spinal interventions. Furthermore, our goal is to allow all physicians interested in minimal invasive surgery to get in contact with renowned international experts in order to exchange information and share best practices.

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