ISAKOS - International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
ISAKOS is an international medical society formed by more than 4,000 members. ISAKOS purpose is provide knowledge exchange for surgeons worldwide as most the international medical societies. The International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) is composed of orthopedic surgeons from 92 countries. This surgeons belong to regional societies who share the same objectives related to dissemination of education and patient care on sports medicine, arthroscopy and knee surgery.
Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which a treatment or just an examination is performed using an arthroscope, an endoscope that is inserted into the joint through a small incision.
Sports medicine, also known as sport and exercise medicine (SEM), is a part of medicine that deals with the prevention and treatment of injuries related to sports and exercise.
History
ISAKOS was formed in 1995, in Honk Kong, at the combined congress of the International Arthroscopy Association (IAA) and the International Society of the Knee (ISK). ISAKOS is the union of this international societies (IAA and ISK). Since then, there had been 10 other international conferences of ISAKOS in almost all worlds continents. The first president of ISAKOS was Dr. Peter J. Fowler, Canada, in the years 1995 to 1997. Currently, the society is chaired by Dr. Philippe Neyret, France.
Members
ISAKOS is a society with individuals interested in the fields of medicine and science and who have demonstrated an interest in knee surgery, arthroscopy and orthopaedic sports medicine. All members are membership of ISAKOS partner societies – Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA), American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), Asia-Pacific Knee, Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine Society (APKASS), European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Artroscopia, Rodilla y Deporte (SLARD).
When a member applies to ISAKOS he will be considered for one of two primary membership categories:
Associate members
Doctors with interest or ability in the fields of medicine or science and who have demonstrated an interest in arthroscopy, knee surgery, and orthopaedic sports medicine shall be eligible. These members are not entitled to vote and are not eligible to hold office.
Active Members
Individuals qualified as orthopedists, musculoskeletal surgeons, rheumatologists or the equivalent, from all countries who are in good medical standing in their national/regional society as determined by a membership committee of the society. Active members are entitled to vote at all meetings of the membership and are eligible to hold office in the society. Active Membership is awarded pending an application review at a meeting of the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee meets at all annual AAOS meetings and at ISAKOS congresses.