History

Everything started with the strong will of Prof. Mario Boni, Chairman and full Professor in orthopaedic surgery from Pavia, Milan. He was not able to speak a single word in English. Nevertheless, he was the ‘engine’ able to move forward and start the Cervical Spine Research Society European Section. He was the first Italian member of the American CSRS. Mario Boni did everything by himself without any other support.

The beginning was a great Meeting in Pavia, probably in 1980. The Meeting was entirely dedicated to cervical spine pathologies. He invited the full membership of the American CSRS. The list was small then, i.e. Dr Fielding, Dr Dunn, and Dr Bruce Northrup attended. Also, prominent European surgeons were present, i.e. Dr Verbiest, Dr Guidetti, Dr Andreas Weidner, Prof. Kehr, Prof Hohman, Prof Roy Camille, Prof Fineschi, and Prof. Logroscino. Also, several Japanese colleagues attended.

The ‘open door’ laminectomy procedure was presented by Dr Hirabayashi himself, and other prominent Japanese colleagues were present. Sessions of live surgery were also organised. Everybody enjoyed the generous hospitality of Prof Boni. Both orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons attended together and enjoyed the friendly discussion. This was the beginning.

One year later, Andreas Weidner, in Osnabruck, organized the first non-official Meeting, which ran very successfully. The key was the enthusiasm of all the participants.

Then the Society was formally founded in Pavia, and the documents were prepared by a notary, and the society was registered. Meetings were organised every year, and the group started to increase, but not too much, according to the strategy of the Directory of the Society.

Great support was given during the years by Prof Kehr (France), Prof Vieira (Portugal), and Dieter Homan (Germany). Prof Cherubino ( Boni’s alumni) was the Society's first secretary. The next annual meetings were held with great success in Strasbourg, Cascais, Roma, Athens and others. Then prominent members such as Dieter Grob, Bernhard Jeanneret, Christian Mazel, and Alan Crockard joined the Society. Impressive Meetings were organized in Switzerland, London, Paris, etc.

The Society reached a new age, the age of maturity and for these reasons, it was re-founded according to more strict rules and bureaucratic accomplishments. Andre Jackowski then joined and worked hard to establish the new legal asset of the Society, finally based in the UK.

More recent contributions due to the efforts of the actual officers deserve the merit of the high scientific level reached by the Society.