With an emailing list/readers approaching 12,000, the response to the inaugural issue of IJMIST and to the call for submission of manuscripts has been very encouraging and enthusiastic. Numerous abstracts and manuscripts were submitted from many countries. The informal federation of MIST societies and congresses provide the necessary cooperative framework for the advancement, development and application of MIST. For reviewing and editing this issue and preparing the final version, we are grateful to the representatives from various MISS societies, the IJMIST Editorial Board, especially Charles Ray, Parviz Kambin, Hansjoerg Leu, Merrill Reuter, and also Mohamed Maziad, Chairman of Orthopedics, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt for their contributions.

Of special interest is the feature article by Professor Dr. Charles Rosen, “The Potential Biomechanical Etiology for Lumbar Disc Replacement Failures: Review of 24 Patients and the Rationale for Revision,” which challenges the current artificial disc/replacement products, with the statement of “the center of rotation is erroneously claimed by the designers and manufacturers to be anterior to the spinal canal.” This article will prompt discussions, controversy and perhaps even arguments including comments on the “BAK fusion cage” and “the center of rotation”. Dr. Charles Ray commented “Unloading the facets is a common supposition for persistent back pain and facet injection helps to localize the pain but does not confirm a diagnosis of facet distraction as the cause as it claims here. It could be a form of local arthritis of facet neuropathy as with any diathrodial joint,” and “The issue of center of rotation should be clarified. It will appear uninformed and incorrect. Maybe the author could clarify this with citations”.

Medical science is international and innovative per definition, and modern technology has removed both its geographic and temporal confines. IJMIST intends to provide an interdisciplinary and international forum for free flowing information without boundaries. IJMIST allows the distribution of the acquired knowledge worldwide, making it equally available to all.

Our International Focus on Minimally Invasive Spinal Technology (MIST) in this issue includes announcements on future MIST related meetings. Thank you for participating in this new internet journal! We welcome your comments. Again, you are invited to submit your manuscripts, global news, and future meeting announcements for our future publication!

John C. Chiu, M.D., FRCS, D.Sc.