Summer 2000 Newsletter

It is a great honor and privilege to serve as editor of the ISAKOS Newsletter. I appreciate the opportunity that Dr. Roland Jakob has given me by this appointment. My goal will be to provide ISAKOS members with an expanded publication, addressing timely topics in a "current concepts" format and providing information on upcoming meetings, membership activities and committee progress.

As arthroscopy and sports medicine continue to mature as disciplines, I see incredible opportunities for ISAKOS members to contribute to the growth process through shared information.

I recently collaborated with Dr. Joe DeBeer of CapeTown, South Africa, in a clinical study of arthroscopic instability repairs. By sharing information with the other side of the world and analyzing injuries of our different types of contact athletes (South African rugby players and American football players), we reached conclusions that would never have been apparent had we studied only our own patients.

Today, with instantaneous Internet communication, international studies are not only feasible but also practical and essential. Distance is not the problem it once was.

We are living and practicing our professions in a very exciting time. Arthroscopy continues to be a rapidly evolving discipline, and we have an incredible opportunity to contribute to that evolution. Not many professions have such an opportunity. Let's make the most of it.