Dear Colleagues,

It is great honor and pleasure for me to announce that International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS) 2008 Winter Workshop will be held between 14th and 16th November 2008 in Okinawa, Japan.

ISMICS Winter Workshops have been great opportunity for all cardiothoracic surgeons around the world to acquire the most updated knowledge and technologies in the field of the minimally invasive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery. At this Winter Workshop 2008, I prepare three big agenda to make your attendance the most fruitful one.

First agenda is to bring the cutting edge information of minimally invasive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery including robotic surgery, least invasive surgery such as awake off pump CABG, atrial fibrillation surgery and so on. Considering amazing progress in our field, I would like to ask all of you to present your own knowledge in this workshop, so that make it completely updated. I am also asking the leaders of the world, especially from Japan and Asia, to make lectures which will benefit all of us.

Second agenda is financial consideration of minimally invasive surgery. As economical and financial status surrounding medical practice is becoming more and more difficult these days, it is inevitable for surgeons to consider economical efficacy of surgical practice. I will prepare dedicated sessions for this subject in this workshop. I will welcome many presentations from Asian colleagues, who often make most of medical resources in your everyday medical practice, on this economical issue.

Third agenda is the educational opportunity for younger colleagues. I will organize hands-on wet lab seminars in minimally invasive surgery in this workshop. I assume it is not easy for younger surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery during training, I really hope to provide the best available opportunity for them.

I also proudly inform you that the ISMICS 2008 Winter Workshop will be held in conjunction with the Japan Robotic Surgery Society (J-Robo).
Now, we exert all our efforts to make this congress succeed. I promise to offer you a great opportunity to exchange and disseminate your knowledge to your colleagues who come from all over the world.

I look forward to seeing you in Okinawa

With best regards