Welcome to the Journal of Visualized Surgery!

Dear friends and fellow healthcare professionals,

Surgery as we know it today has been made possible by the most exceptional breakthroughs in science. The appreciation of antisepsis and the maturation of anaesthesia are but two examples. The most significant event of this generation, though, must surely be the Rise of Video!

The marriage of video imaging with expert surgery in the late 20^th century was a union made in heaven. Their offspring include laparoscopic surgery, video-assisted thoracic surgery, endoscopic interventions, and every other member of the minimally invasive surgery family. Together, this clan of Visualized Surgery is gradually augmenting or has even supplanted traditional open surgery in innumerable applications in virtually every surgical specialty. The upshot has been tremendous benefits to countless patients around the world in terms of reducing the morbidity and increasing the efficacy of surgery.

However, the story is far from finished. As surgical and video technology continues to advance at breath-taking pace, Visualized Surgery is endlessly evolving. Novel techniques, original ideas, and the tireless honing of expertise mean that there are always be new developments to improve outcomes for patients receiving Visualized Surgery.

The Journal of Visualized Surgery (ISSN 2221-2965; J Vis Surg; JOVS; www.jovs.org) is a brand new surgical periodical aimed at promoting the development of Visualized Surgery around the world. It will provide a professional platform for the sharing of experience in Visualized Surgery between peers so that all patients may benefit from advances made in technique and technology. But in contrast to traditional journals publishing research, the focus will be emphatically on instruction and education. Quality video clips, photos, schematics of visualized surgical procedures will be favoured, rather than lengthy text. Articles will be solicited from recognized experts in their fields, while submissions for peer review will also be considered. For readers, the Journal of Visualized Surgery will not only represent a source of the latest developments in video-enabled operations, but an archive of video instructions from the masters of such surgery from around the globe.

Importantly, the Journal of Visualized Surgery looks to break the mould of traditional surgical journals by vigorously highlighting the multi-disciplinary nature of modern surgery. Articles will highlight the roles of each member of the multi-disciplinary surgical team engaged in the procedure (including surgeon, trainees, anaesthetists, physicians of all specialties, nurses, physiotherapists, and other allied health professionals, and so on as appropriate). The Journal of Visualized Surgery thereby seeks to be a unique resource not only for surgeons, but for every healthcare professional engaged in delivering quality Visualized Surgery for patients.

This journal is embarking on an exciting expedition into the hugely important world of visualized surgery. I warmly welcome you to join this voyage as an author, a reader, a reviewer… and as a friend!