Officers & Rules

Article 1 (Name)

The Society shall be known as the Tohoku Society for Endoscopic Spine Surgery (TESS).

Article 2 (Purpose)

• The purpose of the Society shall be to contribute to the advancement of spine care by discussing issues in endoscopic spine surgery and conducting education, research, hands-on seminars, and related activities to promote the safe dissemination of surgical techniques.
• Through its activities, the Society shall strengthen fellowship among members across the seven prefectures of the “Tohoku” area.
• Members shall collaborate to prevent the place of residence of patients or physicians from becoming a barrier to providing necessary spine care or the endoscopic spine surgery that patients wish to receive.
• The Society shall work with colleagues in each region to provide appropriate treatment to patients who need spine surgery, even during disasters or the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To achieve the purposes stated in items (1)–(4) above, provide information to patients, and enable spine surgeons to study and develop their knowledge and skills in the latest treatments and surgical techniques, the Society shall actively use the latest information technology, video distribution equipment, and related technologies to promote digital transformation in healthcare.

Article 3 (Secretariat)

The Society Secretariat shall be located at the address below. Tohoku Society for Endoscopic Spine Surgery — Society Secretariat

2-11-11 Kagitorihoncho, Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 982-8555, Japan

Endoscopic Spine Surgery Center, Sendai Nishitaga Hospital

Article 4 (Activities)

The Society shall undertake the following activities to achieve the purposes set out in the preceding article.

• Organization of the Tohoku Endoscopic Spine Surgery Hands-on Seminar (dry-model and wet-model training) and the Tohoku Endoscopic Spine Surgery Web Seminar (hereinafter “Web Seminar”).
• Arrangements for surgical observation or training placements within Japan.
• Support for spine surgeons seeking technical certification in endoscopic spine surgery from the Japanese Orthopaedic Association.
• Provision of information on the Society’s website.

(5) Publication of records of research presentations and related materials.

(6) Provision of information needed to encourage digital transformation among medical institutions and spine surgeons.

(7) Collaboration and cooperation with related academic societies.

(8) Other activities necessary to achieve the Society’s purposes.

Article 5 (Membership)

Individual members shall be physicians and healthcare professionals interested in the Society’s field. Supporting members shall be individuals or legal entities that endorse the Society’s purpose and pay supporting contributions. Admission to membership shall be approved by the Executive Committee.

Article 6 (Membership Fees)

Annual membership fees shall be collected from individual and supporting members. The amount of the annual fees shall be determined separately by the Executive Committee. In addition to annual fees, registration fees shall be collected from individual members and supporting contributions from supporting members for hands-on seminars; supporting contributions shall also be collected from supporting members for Web Seminars. Details are set out in Article 12.

Article 7 (Administration)

Executive Committee members shall be appointed from among the members to administer the Society.

Article 8 (Executive Committee, Executive Committee Members, Secretary-General, Auditors, and Public Relations)

• The Executive Committee shall be the Society’s sole decision-making body. Persons recommended by Executive Committee members and the Executive Committee shall take office as Executive Committee members and constitute the Committee.
• One Executive Committee member shall be selected from each prefecture by recommendation or other means. The prefecture from which the Secretary-General, who oversees general administrative affairs, is selected may select one additional Executive Committee member. A small number of Special Executive Committee Members may be selected from outside the seven prefectures of the “Tohoku” area by resolution of the Executive Committee. Special Executive Committee Members shall also have voting rights.
• Auditors shall be appointed to audit the accounts and the conduct of operations. A Public Relations Officer shall be appointed to carry out public relations activities. Three Auditors and one Public Relations Officer shall be commissioned by the Secretary-General selected by the Executive Committee and appointed by the Executive Committee.
• Executive Committee members, the Secretary-General, Auditors, and the Public Relations Officer shall serve three-year terms. Re-election shall be permitted. Executive Committee members may also be responsible for accounting.
• The Executive Committee shall meet twice a year: once when the hands-on seminar is held, and once for the financial report by the end of the fiscal year. Additional meetings shall be held as needed.
• A meeting of the Executive Committee shall have a quorum when more than half of all Executive Committee members are represented, with proxies counted as valid. Resolutions shall require approval by more than half of those present, with proxies counted as valid.
• These Society Rules may be revised following deliberation by the Executive Committee.

Article 9 (Advisors)

• A small number of Advisors shall be appointed separately from the Executive Committee members.
• Advisors shall hold technical certification in endoscopic spine surgery from the Japanese Orthopaedic Association and shall be current or former leaders of spine care at educational or research institutions. They shall provide support and advice to Executive Committee members as appropriate.

Article 10 (Executive Committee Member in Charge)

• The Executive Committee member in charge shall oversee the administration of the annual hands-on seminar or the Web Seminars held several times a year.
• Responsibility for the role of Executive Committee member in charge shall rotate among the prefectures, and the person shall be selected by the Executive Committee.

Article 11 (Operating Expenses and Accounting)

• The Society’s operating expenses shall be covered by annual membership fees, registration fees, and supporting contributions.
• The Society’s fiscal year shall run from April 1 to March 31 of the following year.
• The respective Executive Committee members in charge and the Society Secretariat shall handle the accounts. The Auditors shall audit the accounts, and a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be held to receive the financial report.

Article 12 (Hands-on Seminars / Web Seminars)

• The Tohoku Endoscopic Spine Surgery Hands-on Seminar shall be held once a year.
• The Tohoku Endoscopic Spine Surgery Web Seminar, surgical observation, and related activities shall be held several times a year on an irregular schedule.
• Hosting of hands-on seminars and Web Seminars shall rotate among the prefectures.
• A registration fee shall be collected from participants at each hands-on seminar. Separately, hands-on trainees shall be charged the hands-on seminar tuition fee prescribed by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association.
• Participation in Web Seminars shall be free of charge.
• Changes to registration fees shall be determined by resolution of the Executive Committee. Supporting contributions for hands-on seminars and Web Seminars shall be considered on each occasion.

Article 13 (Co-hosting)

Events may be co-hosted with organizations that endorse the Society’s purpose.

Article 14 (Withdrawal and Loss of Individual or Supporting Membership)

• A member wishing to withdraw shall submit notice to that effect.
• A member who fails to pay membership fees by the due date for two consecutive periods shall be deemed to have withdrawn.
• Membership shall be forfeited following deliberation by the Executive Committee if a member acts contrary to the Society’s purposes or seriously damages its reputation.

Article 15 (Amendments to the Society Rules)

Amendments to these Society Rules shall be approved by resolution of the Executive Committee and reported to the members.

Article 16 (Officers at the Establishment of the Society)

Matters necessary for the administration of the Society that are not provided for in these Society Rules shall be determined separately by resolution of the Executive Committee. The founders, Executive Committee members, Secretary-General, Auditors, Public Relations / Special Executive Committee Member, and Advisors at the establishment of the Society are listed below. These appointments shall be confirmed upon approval by the Executive Committee.

Founders (in Japanese syllabary order):

Katsushi Chiba (Yamagata Prefecture: Director of Clinical Services (Orthopaedic Surgery), Saiseikai Yamagata Saisei Hospital)

Takashi Tomita (Aomori Prefecture: Head of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital)

Takuya Nikaido (Fukushima Prefecture: Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fukushima Medical University)

Seiji Yamaya (Miyagi Prefecture: Director, Endoscopic Spine Surgery Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sendai Nishitaga Hospital)

Executive Committee Members (in Japanese syllabary order):

Keiichi Katsumi (Niigata Prefecture: Director, Spine and Spinal Cord Surgery Center, Niigata Central Hospital)

Ryota Kimura (Akita Prefecture: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School)

Katsushi Chiba (Yamagata Prefecture: Director of Clinical Services (Orthopaedic Surgery), Saiseikai Yamagata Saisei Hospital)

Takashi Tomita (Aomori Prefecture: Head of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital)

Tomowaki Nakagawa (Miyagi Prefecture: Vice Director and Director of the Endoscopic Spine and Spinal Cord Surgery Center, Sendai Orthopaedic Hospital)

Takuya Nikaido (Fukushima Prefecture: Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fukushima Medical University)

Norio Numata (Iwate Prefecture: Vice Director, Tochinai Hospital)

Seiji Yamaya (Miyagi Prefecture: Director, Endoscopic Spine Surgery Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sendai Nishitaga Hospital)

Secretary-General:

Seiji Yamaya (Miyagi Prefecture: Director, Endoscopic Spine Surgery Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sendai Nishitaga Hospital)

Auditor (Financial Audit)

Takashi Tomita (Aomori Prefecture: Head of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital)

Auditors (Operations Audit)

Katsushi Chiba (Yamagata Prefecture: Director of Clinical Services (Orthopaedic Surgery), Saiseikai Yamagata Saisei Hospital)

Takuya Nikaido (Fukushima Prefecture: Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fukushima Medical University)

Public Relations / Special Executive Committee Member

Wataru Narita (Kyoto Prefecture: Director, Spine Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kameoka Municipal Hospital)

Advisors (in Japanese syllabary order):

Toshimi Aizawa (Professor, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School)

Koichi Sairyo (Professor and Chair, Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School)

Akira Dezawa (Director, Akira Dezawa PED Clinic; Visiting Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Teikyo University Mizonokuchi Hospital)

Hiroshi Yamada (Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wakayama Medical University)

Munehito Yoshida (Director, Sumiya Orthopaedic Hospital; Professor Emeritus, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wakayama Medical University)

* Affiliations and positions are as of April 16, 2021.