Marvin Woodall, ISEVS CFO (1992-2023) receives the
ISEVS Lifetime Achievement Award at the
​ISEVS Interactive Cardiovascular Symposium

1992

2023

1992: Shift Happens With Some Vin de Bordeaux in October

In early October 1992, Dr. Jacques Busquet hosted the Third International Symposium: Surgical Approaches to Endovascular Techniques in Bordeaux, France. At the time, these emerging minimally invasive techniques and technologies were strongly rebuked by the conservative surgery community. On Monday October 5th, a rebellious, small group of pioneering surgeons met at a bar to discuss the profound impact these “endoluminal” techniques could have on peripheral vascular disease.The following year these surgeons began the International Society of Endovascular Surgeons with the goals of supporting endovascular specialists, improving patient care, and promoting research and development.
​
In the words of the founding President, Dr. Ted Diethrich:

Sometimes bad things happen when a group of young vascular surgeons drink too much red wine. Thankfully, that night in Bordeaux when we founded the ISES was not one of those times. History will show that the decisions emanating from the bar that evening made a major impact on the future of vascular surgery around the world. 
-Edward Diethrich, MD, SLED, 2016

Pioneering Founders of ISEVS

Edward B. Diethrich, MD-USA, President; Panagiotis Balas, MD-Greece, President-Elect; Frank Criado, MD-USA, Secretary General; 
Jacques Busquet, MD-France, Asst Secretary; Goeau-Brissonniere, MD, Recording Secretary; Patrice Bergeron, MD-France, Treasurer; 
Jacques Bleyn, MD-Belgium; Asst Treasurer, 
Alan Bray, MD-Australia; 
Rod White, MD-USA; 
​Marvin Woodall-USA

1993-1998: Arizona Februaries and a Journal

ISES had it's first General Assembly on January 29th, 1993 during International Congress VI in Phoenix, Arizona. The International Congress on Endovascular Interventions provided extraordinary teaching experience for thousands of physicians from all over the world. ​

​In its first 2 months, the Society welcomed more than 600 endovascular professionals. By February 1997, the organization included more than 2,000 members from 55 countries. 

Initially, a Society newsletter kept the members abreast of new developments in the field and the educational offerings of the organization. It soon became apparent that the newsletter could not provide rigorous scientific data on these increasingly popular therapies, information vitally important to physicians and researchers. In 1994, the Society contracted with Futura Publishing Company to establish the quarterly Journal of Endovascular Surgery as the Society’s official publication. Thanks to quality content and stringent peer review, the Journal was accepted for inclusion in Index Medicus/PubMed after publishing only 5 issues.​

In 1997 ISES illustrates its dedication to reaching a worldwide audience by launching ISESOnline, the Society's official website. ISES partners with other vascular societies and organizations to offer a series of joint meetings and symposia in France (1997, 2000) Belgium (1998) and Italy (1999)

1999-2005: Stronger Together

In only a few years, the global interest in endovascular interventions had expanded so rapidly that the Board of Directors made a radical change in the Society. They realized that the Society needed to broaden its focus to embrace all medical specialists engaged in peripheral endovascular therapies. To inaugurate this new era of multidisciplinary cooperation among interventional specialists, the Board voted in 1999 to change the Society’s name to the International Society of Endovascular Specialists.

​Concurrently, the ISES purchased the Journal from the publisher, renaming it the Journal of Endovascular Therapy (JEVT) to better align with the new multidisciplinary focus of the Society. The Society contracted with Allen Press to publish the Journal every other month, and in February 2000 the JEVT was launched. Over the following years, the Journal became the cornerstone of the Society’s education program and its flagship member benefit, publishing original clinical studies, experimental investigations, systematic reviews, and other feature articles related to peripheral endovascular interventions. Its high standards and scientific integrity fostered its steady growth and popularity among the international endovascular community despite competition from larger vascular journals.

In 2001, shortly after announcing the Journal's new name,  ISES became the first academic society to receive FDA approval for an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) called CARESS (Carotid Revascularization with Endarterectomy or Stenting Systems). 

2006-2011: 

2012-2016:

Responding to the changing healthcare landscape in the 21st century, the Society restructured its member services in 2014 to align with the needs of the growing population of endovascular interventionists. To fund the creation of new educational initiatives, the Society drew on the value of the JEVT, completing the sale of the Journal to SAGE Publications in late 2014. Through a sponsorship agreement, the Society remains deeply committed to safeguarding the Journal’s scientific integrity and outstanding international reputation. 

​The transfer to SAGE in 2015 expanded the visibility brought of the Journal and revamped its operations. Web-based applications for manuscript submissions and peer review streamlined interactions with contributors and reviewers. New distribution agreements expanded the readership, particularly in the growing markets of China and India. 

2017: New Presidents, Initiatives, and Names

February 2017: First ISEVS Chapter Established in Dubai
The late Cliff Buckley, MD inaugurated the first ISEVS chapter at 4ts Top to Toe Transcatheter Solutions in the United Arab Emirates. Omar Hallak, MD serves as President. 

At the same meeting, Zvonimir Krajcer, MD was elected as ISEVS' tenth president. During his two-year term he inaugurated seven chapters across four continents. 

Due to phonetic qualms, ISES changes its name to the International Society of Endovascular Specialists, ISEVS. 

2019: An Inaugural Meeting and a Birthday

At the largest ever, hands-on cadaver-based endovascular training program, the Inaugural ISEVS Symposium, Alan B. Lumsden, MD was elected as ISEVS' eleventh president at Houston Methodist Research Institute's Debakey Center for Cardiovascular Education and Training (DICET). 

In 2019, the JEVT celebrated its 25th anniversary. For much of those 25 years, the Journal had been led by 2 pioneers in endovascular techniques and technologies: Edward B. Diethrich, MD, and Thomas J. Fogarty, MD. After the death of Dr. Diethrich in 2017, the Chief Editor positions were transferred to Rodney A. White, MD, and Alan B. Lumsden, MD, both pillars in the endovascular community and well known for their decades-long work in research and education. Under their stewardship and with the support of the Society, the JEVT will continue to deliver the highest quality scientific material to endovascular specialists around the world.

2021: Inaugural Chapter in Africa, First Female President of ISEVS, New Initiatives

Dr. Preventza was inaugurated as the first female president in October 2021, with Dr. Palma Shaw taking on the role of president-elect.

Shortly after her inauguration, President Ourania Preventza, MD welcomed a new chapter based in Lagos, Nigeria, with President Herbert Oye, MD leading educational activities there, including the establishment of an endovascular center of excellence.
​
Dr. Preventza aims to host webinars to cover the entire cardiac vascular system, provide opportunities for residents to present interesting cases, and a twice a year meeting dedicated to the residents, local Houston chapters in a hybrid format to bring together leaders in the field.

2021-2023: Celebration of 30 year anniversary of ISEVS and multiple local and regional meetings

See the ISEVS Activities from 2021-2022

ISEVS 30th Anniversary Interactive Cardiovascular Symposium