Our President:
Ari K. Leppäniemi, Finland
Ari Leppäniemi (MD, PhD, FACS (Hon.), FISS, DMCC, Professor h.c.) is the retired Chief of Emergency Surgery at the Helsinki University Hospital Meilahti, Finland. His background training includes General and Gastroenterological Surgery with subsequent training and diplomas in Prehospital Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Disaster Medicine and International Health Care.
Our Congress:
The International Surgical Week (ISW)
The World's Congress of Surgery
Engaging and insightful, the International Surgical Week (ISW) 2026 provides a platform for scientific and clinical working groups to collaborate to establish the foundations for future diagnostic and surgical challenges and discuss novel approaches and standards, facilitating progress toward real-time, patient-oriented solutions.
Our history
The history of the International Society of Surgery (ISS/SIC) began in 1902 on the initiative of Belgian surgeons Antoine Depage and his colleagues. Today ISS/SIC is representing surgeons and anesthetists from across the globe. The society aims to work for international teaching in specialized and general surgery in developed and developing countries.
Our Council
The Council of the Society consists of the President, the President-Elect, the Immediate Past-President, the Secretary-General, the Treasurer, four Councillors-at-large, and one representative of each Integrated Society. The preceding members of the Council have full voting rights. The Administrative Director is a permanent guest of the Executive Committee meetings without voting right.
Our members
More than 3,000 medical professionals from across the globe have discovered the value of ISS/SIC membership as an essential investment in their future. With ISS/SIC membership comes a subscription to the World Journal of Surgery (WJS) – the official ISS/SIC journal - meeting discounts, targeted educational programs, networking opportunities, and more!