IITS News

From the desk of Anthony Yeung, MD Executive Director of IETSS

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New sub-societies are being established in China and Taiwan, as I step up training all over the world. One such society is the “Yeung Fellow’s Endoscopic Spine Society,” in China made up of my spine fellows and other physicians who are embracing the YESS endoscopic technique. A parallel “Academic Yeung” is also being formed for the Taiwanese Spine Surgeons currently being trained by me. Below you will find excerpts from a personal message from the President of the “Yeung Fellow’s Endoscopic Spine Society,” Xifeng Zhang, M.D, PhD. about his encounters as both student, teacher and practitioner of MISS endoscopic techniques, as well as the values, beliefs, and establishment of the “Yeung Fellow’s Endoscopic Spine Society.” I encourage you to download and read the full statement. Anthony Yeung, MD

From the desk of Anthony Yeung, MD Executive Director of IETSS (formerly IITS and IITTSS )

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Spinal Therapies announced its dissolution after the company determined that it is unlikely to ever regain profitability since the early days when chymopapain was promoted by the likes of Eugene Nordby, who is still alive and thriving as the first Executive Director of IITS. I took over IITS at the request of Dr. Nordby and maintained an emphasis on the Organization’s focus on Intradiscal therapy aided by the endoscope as the least invasive, visually-guided treatment for discogenic pain. Intradiscal therapy is still the only Level I validated EBM. Unfortunately, events adversely affecting Pharma and Surgical company profitability have caused both entities to turn toward the more profitable implant and hardware devices to follow the money and the road to profits. We have, however, a core of highly trained and dedicated surgeons who recognize the future of spine care who are are lifetime members of IITTS, and each proudly wears the wears the Gold IITS pin on their lapels at spine meetings, still promoting Intradiscal therapy through an endoscope.