The International Society for Minimal Intervention in Spinal Surgery (ISMISS) was conceived in 1989 and structurally organized as a non-profit organization in 1990 under the leadership of Professor Parviz Kambin, Philadelphia, first President of ISMISS, in collaboration with his European counterparts, Professor Adam Schreiber, Zurich, and the Asian pioneer Professor Sadahisa Hijikata (Tokyo). Further they were supported by Professor Mario Brock, Berlin, and Dr. Jan Sheppard, Hastings. Thus the term, "minimally invasive spinal surgery" was coined. ISMISS has held regular biannual symposiums in Philadelphia (USA) and annual meetings in Zurich (Switzerland). The membership and participants have witnessed the evolution of percutaneous nucleotomy to endoscopic fragmentectomy, foraminoplasty and segmental stabilization. In recent years ISMISS auspices several periodical meetings and courses worldwide.

The ISMISS Board of Directors have released their first edition of
"Guidelines for Endoscopic Spinal Surgery"

Specific topics and selected abstracts from our meetings are published on a regular base in the Internet Journal of Minimally Invasive Spinal Technology (ISSN: 1937-8254), see also under www.ijmist.com