Dr. Anthony Yeung, DISC Orthopedic Spine Surgeon and the Executive Director for the International Intradiscal Therapy Society (IITS), announced his retirement in an official statement on the IITS website. Below is an excerpt from the announcement.
“2019 was time for me to finally stop operating (at age 78) to focus my time on publishing my extensive experience of over 11,000 cases since 1991. I became very comfortable that my legacy will be carried on my son Chris Yeung and his team of fellowship-trained spine surgeons with similar interests and in-house training in MIS spine at our ASC, Squaw Peak Surgical Facility. The DISC team put together by Chris Yeung provides a wide spectrum of spine surgery options based on what is best for their patients Using training in open MIS spine surgery and endoscopic spine surgery. It was time to finally officially retire.”
“I opted for a very small retirement party of just current and retired staff. A few close friends and colleagues who supported me when I chose to limit my practice to only perform, advance, and evolve endoscopic spine surgery as the safest, most efficient, and most cost-effective staged method to treat acute and chronic back pain and sciatica.
When I decided to retire, I had so many patients, former fellows, former staff who helped me with the first Endoscopic ASC developed in the United States, that I opted to have only a very small reception for present and former staff who had a big part in helping me fulfill my vision.
I want share a few highlights of my retirement party including video comments from prominent spine surgeons and an interview of my son, Chris Yeung, MD “confessing” what it meant for him to join my practice. I also included a few comments from leaders of the spine organizations who surprised me with comments that are usually reserved for eulogies at funerals.
A special thank you to Mike Wang, Andrew Roberts, Dan Laich, Scott Goldsmith, Victor Hayes, Yuki Shigemori, Jeff Wang, Rick Guyer, Robin Young, Choll Kim, Walter Eisner, Robert Urrea, James Yue. Michael Stek, Gun Choi, Chris Meredith, Satish Gore, Larry Knoo, Kai Lewandrowski, Perer Shin, Scott Becker, Alan Ellman, Yong Song, and Wendy Stires for responding to a last minute request from Eileen and Helen Yeung , who surprised me with the videos testimonials. It was almost like attending my funeral and listening to the Eulogies. It solidified any chance of re-consideration of retirement. I passed the ceremonial “crown” to Chris. I feel that we have formed the “dream team” of MIS spine surgery, not just of surgeons but a very dedicated staff.”
