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KOMISS beyond Korea
Today’s medical environment is changing rapidly, with the acceleration of patient-centered, personalized treatments and the introduction of cutting-edge
medical technology. Remarkably, one of the few medical technologies in which Korea leads the world is in the field of spine surgery — and at the center
of that is us. Through relentless exploration and research, we have made continuous progress and will continue to face new challenges and opportunities
in the future.
In 2024, I would like to share my own experiences to highlight Korea’s global status in the spine field. I hope this will provide you with valuable
insights, and I look forward to building an even more advanced medical environment through ongoing academic exchanges and research.
Lastly, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all my colleagues and mentors who, even at this very moment, devote themselves to prioritizing
patient safety and ensuring swift recovery. Thank you.
Chul-woong Park, M.D.
President of KOMISS, 17th Term
Woori Hospital, Daejeon
15 Overseas Invited Lectures in 2024
In 2024 alone, I delivered 15 invited lectures across the globe — in the U.S. (3), India (2), Taiwan (2), China (2), Japan, Türkiye, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Nepal.
- January 18-21 - Annual Meeting of the Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSICON 2024) -
“UBE Solutions for Severe Thoracic Myelopathy”
- February 3 - Invited to the 2024 Osaka Spine Endoscopy Society meeting in Japan, symposium with KOMISS members -
“Clinical Experience of TLIF with UBE”
- February 9-10 - 2024 Türkiye International Spine Endoscopy Symposium -
“Advanced Biportal Endoscopic Technique for Precise Intradural Extramedullary Schwannoma Excision at L3-4,”
“Comparison of UBE and Uniportal Endoscopic Techniques in Disc Surgery and New Modifications,”
“UBE for Thoracic OLF,” and
“En Bloc Ligamentum Flavum Removal in UBE Surgery for Spinal Stenosis”
- March 2 - 1st China Biportal Endoscopy Academic Conference -
“The Current Status of Korean Spine Endoscopy and UBE TLIF: A Discussion on Procedural Advancements”
- The presentation covered five chapters:
- Current Status of Korean Spine Endoscopy: Overview of uniportal and biportal ESS
- UBE for Thoracic Ossification of the Ligamentum Flavum
- En Bloc Removal of Ligamentum Flavum with UBE for Severe Spinal Canal Stenosis
- Intradural Extramedullary Tumor (Schwannoma) Removal with UBE
- TLIF with UBE: Procedural Advancements
- The presentation covered five chapters:
- March 9 - 3rd Annual U.S. Endoscopic Spine Surgery Symposium at UC Irvine -
“Dual Portal Contralateral Sublaminar Approach, Special Considerations”
- March 21-24 - 14th Asia Pacific Cervical Spine Society & 7th Singapore Spine Society Annual Meeting -
“Biportal Endoscopic Techniques as a Novel Frontier in Degenerative Cervical Spine Treatment” and
“Step-by-Step Biportal En Bloc Removal of Ligamentum Flavum for Spinal Stenosis”
- April 19 - Carolina Neurosurgical & Spine Society Meeting (U.S.) -
“Removal of Neurinoma via Dual-Portal Endoscopic Spine Surgery” and
“Unilateral Biportal Endoscopic Decompression for Thoracic Spinal Stenosis Caused by OLF”
- May 15-18 - Global Spine Congress 2024 (Bangkok, Thailand) -
“Advanced Biportal Endoscopic Techniques for Complete Spinal Schwannoma Removal: A Clinical Odyssey,”
“Expandables - Fad or the Future?,” and
“Early Experience of TLIF Using Expandable Cage & rhBMP-2 Through Biportal Endoscopic Spine Surgery”
- June 13-14 - 4th Asia-Pacific SMISS Meeting (Hong Kong) -
“Clinical Experience and Comparison of Expandable vs. Large PEEK Cages in Biportal Endoscopic TLIF”
- July 5-7 - 15th Asia Spine Annual Meeting & 23rd Taiwan Neurosurgical Spine Society Annual Meeting -
“Incorporating Biportal Endoscopic Spine Surgery (UBE) into My Practice: A Shift from Uniportal to Predominantly UBE Techniques”
- July 25-27 - 9th ASEAN Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Conference (Da Nang, Vietnam) -
“Clinical and Radiographic Analysis of PEEK Cage with Autograft vs. Expandable Cage with BMP-2 in UBE Fusion for Lumbar Spondylolisthesis:
Technical Considerations and Preliminary Results”
- August 28-31 - 12th AIIMS Annual Spine Workshop (New Delhi, India) -
Lectures, cadaver workshops, and live surgeries covering UBE discectomy, decompression, fusion using OLIF cages, cervical foraminotomy,
intradural tumor removal, and TLIF with expandable cages
- September 25-28 - NASS 2024 (Chicago, USA) -
“Biportal Endoscopic TLIF with Expandable Cage & rhBMP-2 (Putty Carrier)”
- November 15-16 - ASSNCON 2024 Himalayan Spine Symposium (Kathmandu, Nepal) -
“Biportal Endoscopic Discectomy” and “Endoscopic TLIF: Techniques, Tips, and Tricks”
- December 13-14 - Taiwan Minimally Invasive Spine Endoscopy Society Annual Meeting - “Challenges in Biportal Endoscopic Spine Surgery from the Perspective of a Right-Handed Surgeon and Solutions”
In 2024 alone, I delivered 15 invited lectures across the globe — in the U.S. (3), India (2), Taiwan (2), China (2), Japan, Türkiye, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Nepal.
pictures of an invitational lecture in India, Turkiye, Vietnam
Endoscopic Spine Surgery - A Technique the World Wants to Learn
With over 25,000 surgeries performed, I have been invited multiple times to major international spine conferences in the U.S., Australia, and Europe, and authored the world’s first international textbook on spinal surgery. Surgeons are eager to learn new surgical methods, and recently, biportal endoscopic spine surgery has been attracting attention in the U.S. for its remarkable results in treating stenosis and disc herniation.
Many physicians who once trained in Korea have gone on to lead their national societies, introducing and recommending endoscopic spine surgery in their own countries. For example, Dr. Don Park of UCLA, a leader in biportal endoscopic spine surgery in the U.S., trained with me in 2021 and 2022. Similarly, Dr. Brian Kwon of Tufts University also completed training with me in 2022. In Türkiye, Dr. Hayati Aygün, who trained with me in 2018, now leads the Turkish Spine Endoscopy Society.
With over 25,000 surgeries performed, I have been invited multiple times to major international spine conferences in the U.S., Australia, and Europe, and authored the world’s first international textbook on spinal surgery. Surgeons are eager to learn new surgical methods, and recently, biportal endoscopic spine surgery has been attracting attention in the U.S. for its remarkable results in treating stenosis and disc herniation.
Many physicians who once trained in Korea have gone on to lead their national societies, introducing and recommending endoscopic spine surgery in their own countries. For example, Dr. Don Park of UCLA, a leader in biportal endoscopic spine surgery in the U.S., trained with me in 2021 and 2022. Similarly, Dr. Brian Kwon of Tufts University also completed training with me in 2022. In Türkiye, Dr. Hayati Aygün, who trained with me in 2018, now leads the Turkish Spine Endoscopy Society.
Explain to American medical staff how endoscopic surgery is done through Kadeva workshop
Why Even Developed Countries Are Enthusiastic
In the U.S., where the healthcare system is insurance-based, traditional open surgeries have long been favored for their proven track record. However, the advantages of biportal endoscopic surgery — smaller incisions, faster recovery, and reduced infection risk — have caught the attention of international societies and journals. After experiencing the technique firsthand, U.S. surgeons began reporting high success rates and safety, describing it as opening a “new era” in spine surgery.
In the U.S., where the healthcare system is insurance-based, traditional open surgeries have long been favored for their proven track record. However, the advantages of biportal endoscopic surgery — smaller incisions, faster recovery, and reduced infection risk — have caught the attention of international societies and journals. After experiencing the technique firsthand, U.S. surgeons began reporting high success rates and safety, describing it as opening a “new era” in spine surgery.
Photo after academic presentation with company official in front of Atrium Health in the U.S
Bringing the World’s Spine Experts to Daejeon
From December 6-8, 2024, the International Society for Minimal Intervention in Spine Surgery and the 23rd KOMISS Annual Meeting were held at the Daejeon Convention Center under the theme “Beyond Asia, to the World.” The event brought together 32 renowned international spine surgeons from seven countries and more than 300 specialists. Daejeon, known as the R&D hub of Northeast Asia and home to over 70 research institutes, served as an ideal venue to also promote medical tourism alongside scientific exchange.
From December 6-8, 2024, the International Society for Minimal Intervention in Spine Surgery and the 23rd KOMISS Annual Meeting were held at the Daejeon Convention Center under the theme “Beyond Asia, to the World.” The event brought together 32 renowned international spine surgeons from seven countries and more than 300 specialists. Daejeon, known as the R&D hub of Northeast Asia and home to over 70 research institutes, served as an ideal venue to also promote medical tourism alongside scientific exchange.
Indian fellowship doctors welcome Dr. Park Chul-woong for indian society’s coference
Sharing Medical Knowledge Without Borders
The Hippocratic Oath states:
"I will respect and honor my teacher as I do my parents, share all I have with him, and relieve him of his burdens if needed. I will regard his children as my brothers and teach them this art without fee or contract…"
This means sharing all medical knowledge without conditions, for the health and lives of patients everywhere. Just as the life of a Korean patient is precious, so too is the life of an American or a patient from any of the 18 countries whose doctors have trained with me. For this reason, I never accept any fees for teaching.
The Hippocratic Oath states:
"I will respect and honor my teacher as I do my parents, share all I have with him, and relieve him of his burdens if needed. I will regard his children as my brothers and teach them this art without fee or contract…"
This means sharing all medical knowledge without conditions, for the health and lives of patients everywhere. Just as the life of a Korean patient is precious, so too is the life of an American or a patient from any of the 18 countries whose doctors have trained with me. For this reason, I never accept any fees for teaching.
a group photo of members of the Korean Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Society
Organizing My Knowledge and Experience
Six years ago, I began work on Advanced Techniques of Endoscopic Lumbar Spine Surgery, which has since expanded to include Unilateral Biportal Endoscopic Spine Surgery and Advanced Techniques of Endoscopic Cervical and Thoracic Spine Surgery. This is the first comprehensive guidebook in the world to cover biportal endoscopic techniques for the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.
The textbook features detailed step-by-step instructions, from basic to advanced techniques, including operating table setup, preoperative planning, surgical procedures, and postoperative care, supplemented by videos. It is designed for both beginners and experienced endoscopic spine surgeons, with the aim of reducing trial-and-error and improving patient outcomes.
Six years ago, I began work on Advanced Techniques of Endoscopic Lumbar Spine Surgery, which has since expanded to include Unilateral Biportal Endoscopic Spine Surgery and Advanced Techniques of Endoscopic Cervical and Thoracic Spine Surgery. This is the first comprehensive guidebook in the world to cover biportal endoscopic techniques for the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.
The textbook features detailed step-by-step instructions, from basic to advanced techniques, including operating table setup, preoperative planning, surgical procedures, and postoperative care, supplemented by videos. It is designed for both beginners and experienced endoscopic spine surgeons, with the aim of reducing trial-and-error and improving patient outcomes.
Thai medical staffs visit the surgical hall of Daejeon Woori hospital
Looking Ahead to 2025
My profession is to heal the sick. The goal of all doctors is the same: to relieve pain, preserve healthy structures, and restore function as close to normal as possible — without causing harm. Over 30 years, I have worked with my team to develop and refine techniques, sharing the knowledge through conferences and textbooks so that patients worldwide suffering from neck, back, and spinal pain can return safely and quickly to their daily lives.
I wish all readers a healthy and fulfilling 2025.
If you want, I can also make a shortened, speech-ready version of this in English so it’s easy to present at an international event. Would you like me to prepare that?
My profession is to heal the sick. The goal of all doctors is the same: to relieve pain, preserve healthy structures, and restore function as close to normal as possible — without causing harm. Over 30 years, I have worked with my team to develop and refine techniques, sharing the knowledge through conferences and textbooks so that patients worldwide suffering from neck, back, and spinal pain can return safely and quickly to their daily lives.
I wish all readers a healthy and fulfilling 2025.
If you want, I can also make a shortened, speech-ready version of this in English so it’s easy to present at an international event. Would you like me to prepare that?