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Our story started in the 18th WSCTS World Congress on April, 2008 at Kos Island, Greece. I presented personel my experience on NUSS procedure in the congress . I met with a Brazilian colleague Prof. Jose Ribas Campos who performed another presentation about pectus deformities with his chief resident. Our interest about pectus deformities brought us together in that meeting. This coincidental contact brought our minds to assemble an organization for the colleagues interested about chest wall deformities and surgical repair. Dr.Schweitz from South Africa joined our little group and we started to exchange of ideas. Three doctors from Turkey, Brazil and South Africa were the first future members of the Chest Wall Interest Group which will be assembled later. We decided to organize a Nuss Workshop in 2 months and left Kos with flame of enthusiasm.
First meeting was held in İzmir, Turkey at 2008. There were 34 participants including Jose Ribas Campos from Brazil and Ivan Schweitz from South Africa. 3 live surgeries was performed at this meeting. 3 sessions was discussed during the meeting. This meeting in İzmir showed me and Dr. Ribas that there is a huge and novel interest on this field. On a little table in Istanbul, Dr.Ribas and Dr.Yuksel encouraged theirselves to assemble thoracic and pediatric surgeons interested in chest wall deformities all over the world under the same subject. Eventhough we were very enthusiastic , we couldn’t find any financial support. Then, we decided to organize a meeting in Istanbul by the support of Marmara University and invite colleagues who interested in chest wall deformities. We prepared an invitation letter for the meeting. We made a literature review and identified 50 colleageus from all over the World and sent those letters to them. We recieved positive answers from 20 of them which made us hopeful.
Second Meeting was held by cooperation of the Medical Faculties of Marmara and Dokuz Eylul Universities (Dr.Ahmet Onen) , in Istanbul on June 15-17th 2009. There 20 invited faculties whom 13 were international. 110 people all over the world attended the workshop whom 40 were international. There were 3 live surgeries which were performed by experts. 8 sessions were discussed during the meeting. At this meeting , Chest Wall Interest Group (CWIG) was officially declared. Jose and I chose our logo. We decided to create web page for announcing events, cases and innovations for the members. We also decided to establish a google group for discussing the interesting cases.
At 2010 in İzmir; 3rd International Workshop was organized with collaboration of EACTS( European Association For Cardio-Thoracic Surgery). There were 28 invited faculties whom 18 were international. There were 70 participants all over the world. 3 live surgeries was performed and 10 sessions were discussed during the workshop. This was the first international success of CWIG. Mustafa Yuksel was elected as the “First President” of CWIG.
4th workshop was taken place in Buenos Aires at 2011. There were 20 invited faculties whom 11 were international. There were 120 participants . 2 live surgeries were performed and 8 sessions were discussed during the meeting.
At this meeting Mr. Yuksel wrote a letter and this letter became the light of the CWIG throughout the way for being a society.
5th meeting was in Istanbul at 2012. There were 37 invited faculties whom 20 were international. There were 4 live surgeries and 10 sessions. 120 professionals attended to the meeting.
6TH one was in Seoul at 2013. There were 50 invited faculties whom 24 of were international. There were 100 participants. 3 live surgeries was performed by the experts surgeons and 10 sessions were discussed in 2 day marathon (Pic-9). Donald Nuss was elected as the Honorary President of CWIG at this meeting. Hans Pilegaards was elected as President of CWIG for 2013-2015 period.
Pectus Symposium was taken place in St.Ettienne at 2013. 3 live surgeries were performed and 4 sessions were discussed during the symposium. 120 people all over the world contributed to the meeting
There was also a joint meeting at 2013. It was in Bejing for IPEG and CWIG joint meeting. There were 4 lectures and 1 session.
7th international CWIG meeting was organized in Aarhus at 2014. 2 live surgeries were performed in the meeting. 11 sessions were also discussed during the workshop. There were 30 invited faculties whom 23 were international. At this meeting , we decided to become a society. Robert Kelly was elected as president-elect for 2015-2017 period.
Another symposium was taken place in Mainz at 2014. There were 60 participants . 7 live surgeries were performed and 9 sessions were discussed at the symposium (Pic-13). At the symposium CWIG Executive Committee officially declared that CWIG is going to become a society and they made TOPKON as their PCO. The “I” in the CWIG became International instead of Interest now
8th International meeting was held in Hong Kong at 2015. 2 live surgeries were performed and 10 sessions were discussed. There were 120 participants all over the world.
Last international meeting (9th) was organized by Dr.Kelly in Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters / Norfolk, Virginia on June 15-17th 2016. It was a 3 day-long satisfactory experience . There were 200 participants all over the world. Dr.Park was elected as president-elect for 2018-2019 period
Now; Chest Wall International Group is a huge society with 350 members all over the world. The Executive Committee was expanded with 4 new members and reached the number of 16.
Our dream is a reality now…
