The Inaugural Milestone in International Partnership: A Commentary on the KNPS–PSPS (Korean Neuro-Pain Society–Pacific Spine and Pain Society) Special Issue in Neurospine
Article information
The publication of a joint special issue by the Korean Neuro-Pain Society (KNPS, http://neuropain.or.kr) and the Pacific Spine and Pain Society (PSPS, https://pacificspineandpainsociety.com) in Neurospine is a landmark achievement that exemplifies the convergence of global expertise in spine and pain management. This issue not only delivers scientifically rigorous content, but also highlights the growing trans-Pacific collaboration essential for the future of multidisciplinary spinal care.
KNPS has a particularly meaningful origin story rooted in the evolution of pain management within neurosurgery. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the field of pain medicine in Korea saw a concerning drift of clinical leadership toward nonsurgical specialties, particularly anesthesiology. While interventional pain treatments flourished, neurosurgeons—despite their unique anatomical and procedural expertise in spinal disorders—were increasingly marginalized in the domain of spine-related pain care. Recognizing this trend as a potential threat to patient-centered, pathology-driven treatment, Professor Young Soo Kim and like-minded neurosurgeons established the KNPS [1-3].
On July 14, 2001, KNPS held its inaugural general assembly and symposium at Yongdong Severance Hospital, attended by 170 neurosurgeons [1,3,4]. It marked the official launch of an academic society that, for the first time in Korean neurosurgical history, united both university-based and private-practice neurosurgeons under a common goal. Since its official recognition in 2004 as the 9th subspecialty society of the Korean Neurosurgical Society, KNPS has continuously advanced academic knowledge, clinical guidelines, and procedural innovation in spine-related pain treatment [1,3].
Over the years, KNPS has been led by esteemed presidents who contributed significantly to its development: Young Soo Kim, Sun Kil Choi, Jung Keun Suh, Sang Jin Kim, Kyoung Suok Cho, Jung Yul Park, Youngsul Yoon, Do Yle Koh, Kwan Ho Park, and Gyu Yeul Ji (Fig. 1) [4,5].
Former KNPS (Korean Neuro-Pain Society) presidents. From top left: Young Soo Kim, Sun Kil Choi, Jung Keun Suh, Sang Jin Kim, Kyoung Suok Cho, Jung Yul Park, Youngsul Yoon, Kwan Ho Park, Do Yle Koh, and Gyu Yeul Ji.
This issue of Neurospine celebrates not only the clinical and research advances but also the societal mission of KNPS: to reaffirm neurosurgery's role in spine pain care. With contributions ranging from meta-analyses of facet joint interventions to original research on catheter biomechanics and spinal cord stimulation techniques, this issue exemplifies how neurosurgeons can lead both theoretically and procedurally in the field of interventional pain. Simultaneously, the collaboration with PSPS underscores a shared commitment to elevating standards of care through international dialogue. As pain medicine increasingly intersects with regenerative therapies, image-guided procedures, and neuromodulation, there is an urgent need for unified curricula, standardized training, and evidence-based guidelines that span continents.
This special issue is not merely an academic exchange—it is a declaration that the management of spinal pain must return to those who not only understand the spine’s structure, but also its pathology, biomechanics, and surgical nuance. KNPS, through 2 decades of steady leadership, remains dedicated to fulfilling this role, ensuring that the next generation of neurosurgeons is not only technically competent but also scientifically grounded in the complexities of spinal pain.
Notes
Conflict of Interest
The author has nothing to disclose.