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Kazakh Spine Days International Spine Society
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16-17 May 2026

Astana, Kazakhstan

About
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On behalf of the International Spine Society, WFNS Spine Committee and the host The Kazakh Association of Neurosurgeons, it is our distinct honor to invite you to the inaugural Kazakh Spine Days 2026, held in the heart of Central Asia—Astana, Kazakhstan.

As the field of spinal surgery evolves with unprecedented speed, staying at the forefront of innovation is no longer optional—it is a commitment to our patients. Kazakh Spine Days 2026 has been designed as a high-level scientific forum where the world’s leading surgeons, researchers, and innovators gather to bridge the gap between global expertise and regional excellence.

Scientific Highlights & Program Focus

Our two-day intensive program is curated to address the most complex challenges in modern spine care. Attendees can expect a rigorous schedule of keynote lectures, case-based debates, and interactive symposia focusing on:

  • Minimally Invasive Breakthroughs: Transitioning from traditional open surgery to ultra-minimally invasive and endoscopic techniques.

  • Complex Deformity Correction: Navigating the complexities of adult and pediatric scoliosis and sagittal balance.

  • Up-to-date Developments: The integration of latest technological advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of spinal pathologies.

  • Degenerative Pathologies: Modern approaches to lumbar and cervical disc disease and spinal stenosis.

  • Trauma & Oncology: Managing acute spinal cord injuries and the latest in metastatic spinal tumor resection.

Featured Speakers
Experience Spine Congress

Engage with Leading Experts. Explore Innovations. Learn Best Practices.

50+

Over 50 Keynote Speakers

20+

20+ Case Presentations

4+

4+ Hours of
Hands-On Workshop

30+

Over 30 Internationally Renown Spine Surgeons
Invitation

The International Spine Society (ISS) in collaboration with The Kazakh Association of Neurosurgeons and World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) Spine Committee is honored to invite you to a premier two-day surgical symposium and basic spine course focused on the evolution of spinal care.

Under the expert leadership of Chairpersons Talgat Kerimbayev and Yahya Güvenc, this intensive program is designed to bridge the gap between clinical theory and technical mastery. The curriculum spans the most critical aspects of modern spinal surgery, ranging from degenerative conditions and trauma to complex deformity and oncology.

Program

This comprehensive meeting is structured around six core pillars of spine surgery:

  • Lumbar & Cervical Degenerative Disease: Advanced sessions on endoscopic surgery, decompression techniques, and the debate between ACDF and Arthroplasty.

  • Complex Spine Trauma: Focused modules on cervical, thoracic, and lumbar fractures, including specialized management of spinal cord injuries.

  • Deformity & Reconstruction: In-depth analysis of adolescent and adult scoliosis, osteotomy techniques, and the prevention of complications.

  • Spinal Oncology: Multidisciplinary strategies for primary and metastatic tumors, including intradural surgery.

  • Instrumentation & Biomechanics: Technical reviews of screw fixation (thoracic, sacral, and iliac) and interbody fusion (TLIF, ALIF, OLIF).

  • Practical Mastery: Daily Hands-on Workshops on anatomical models to refine surgical precision.

Committees & Faculty

..

General Information

Visa Requirements

Kazakhstan offers a simplified entry regime for many international visitors. Please review the following guidelines for your travel planning:

  • Visa-Free Entry: Citizens of over 80 countries (including the UK, USA, Canada, EU nations, and Türkiye) can enter Kazakhstan visa-free for business or tourism for up to 30 days.​

  • E-Visa Option: For participants from countries not included in the visa-free list, a single-entry Tourist E-Visa (B12) can be obtained via a Letter of Invitation (LOI).

  • Passport Validity: Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the expiry date of your intended stay/visa and must have at least two blank pages.

  • Official Visa Portal: For the most up-to-date requirements and to apply for an E-Visa, please visit the official Visa-Migration Portal of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

    https://www.vmp.gov.kz

If it is needed, a formal invitation letter will be gladly e-mailed for the participants who had completed their registration process. For further details, you can gladly contact us.

Meeting Language

The official language of the meeting will be English.

Usage of Electronics in the Meeting Room

All cellphones should be silenced during sessions. Sound and video recording of the lectures are allowed only for personal use. During that recording, the device should be silenced (no click or beep sounds) not to disturb audience.

Dresscode

Casual /Both for meeting & dinner(s)

Weather

During the month of May, Astana offers some of the most pleasant weather of the year, though it is famously changeable.

  • Mild Temperatures: Daytime highs typically hover around 19°C to 21°C. It feels warm and summer-like under the sun, which is perfect for sightseeing near the Bayterek Tower or along the Ishim River.

  • Chilly Evenings: As a steppe city, temperatures drop quickly after sunset to around 7°C to 9°C. You will definitely need a medium-weight jacket or coat for evening dinners.

  • The "Astana Wind": The city is known for its constant breeze. While usually refreshing in May, it can make the "real feel" temperature cooler than the forecast suggests.

Electricity

Kazakhstan uses Type C and Type F outlets:

  • Type C: The standard "Euro" plug with two round pins.

  • Type F: Also known as a "Schuko" plug, which has two round pins and two earth clips on the side.

  • Note: Type C plugs fit perfectly into Type F sockets.

  • Standard Voltage: 220V

  • Frequency: 50Hz

Certificate of Attendance

A certificate of attendance will be presented to all registered participants as electronic.

Letter of Invitation

Upon request, the organization committee will be pleased to send a personal invitation to all participants, to facilitate visa and other formalities. This letter should not be considered as an offer of financial support from the organizers.

Currency

The official currency of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT), symbolized by ₸.

For the most accurate and up-to-date exchange rates against major world currencies (USD, EUR, TRY, etc.), please visit the official website of the National Bank of Kazakhstan:

https://www.nationalbank.kz/en/exchangerates

  • Currency Exchange: You can exchange major currencies (USD, EUR, RUB) at the airport, local banks, or authorized exchange offices (obmennik) found throughout the city.

  • Card Payments: Credit and debit cards (Visa/Mastercard) are widely accepted in Astana's hotels, restaurants, and larger shops. However, it is recommended to carry some local cash for smaller vendors or traditional markets.

  • ATMs: ATMs are common and easily accessible in the city center and near the conference venue.

Venue Location & Airport Access

Exhibition

Scientific Program

May 16th SATURDAY
Time
Topic
Speaker
08:30 - 08:45

Opening Talks

Talgat Kerimbayev, Yahya Güvenç
Moderators

Panel 1 - Lumbar Degenerative Diseases

08:45 - 09:00

Diagnosis of the sources of back pain

09:00 - 09:10

Value of injections in back pain

09:10 - 09:20

Diagnosis and treatment options for disc herniation

09:20 - 09:30

Endoscopic lumbar disc surgery: Interlaminar and transforaminal

09:30 - 09:40

Management recurrent lumbar disc herniation

09:40 - 09:50

Lumbar spinal stenosis: Clinic and radiology

09:50 - 10:00

Decompression techniques for lumbar spinal stenosis

10:00 - 10:10

Fusion indications for lumbar spinal stenosis

10:10 - 10:20

Discussion

10:20 - 10:50

Coffee Break

Panel 2 - Thoracic, lumbar and sacral screw fixation techniques

10:50 - 11:00

Definition of degenerative instability

11:00 - 11:10

Instrumentation biomechanics

11:10 - 11:20

Thoracic and lumbar screw fixation techniques

11:20 - 11:30

Sacral and iliac screw fixation techniques

11:30 - 11:45

Interbody fusion techniques (PLIF,TLIF, ALIF, OLIF)

11:45 - 12:00

Discussion

Panel 3 - Case Discussion

12:00 - 12:10

Case: Back pain & injection

12:10 - 12:20

Case: Far lateral disc herniation

12:20 - 12:30

Case: Lumbar spinal stenosis

12:30 - 12:40

Case: Lumbar listhesis and fusion

12:40 - 13:30

--LUNCH--

Moderators

Panel 4 - Cervical Spine Trauma

13:30 - 13:45

Classification of spinal cord injury and lower cervical spine fractures

13:45 - 13:55

Early management and intensive care for spinal cord injury

13:55 - 14:05

Closed or open reduction for locked facets

14:05 - 14:15

Anterior cervical plating technique

14:15 - 14:25

Posterior cervical fixation techniques (lateral mass, pedicle screw)

14:25 - 14:40

Classification of upper cervical spine fractures

14:40 - 14:50

Anterior and posterior approaches to upper cervical spine.

14:50 - 15:00

C1-C2 fixation and occiput-cervical fixation techniques.

15:00 - 15:10

Management of odontoid fractures

15:10 - 15:40

Coffee Break

Panel 5 - Surgery for Cervical Degenerative Diseases

15:40 - 15:50

Case Presentation: Cervical radiculopathy

15:50 - 16:00

Cervical anterior vs posterior foraminotomy

16:00 - 16:10

Cervical disc herniation: ACDF vs Arthroplasty

16:10 - 16:20

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy: Classification and management

16:20 - 16:30

Anterior surgical techniques for CSM

16:30 - 16:40

Cervical laminoplasty vs cervical laminectomy & fusion for CSM

16:40 - 16:50

Cervical OPLL: Management options

16:50 - 17:00

Discussion

Panel 6 - Course 1

16:30 - 16:40

Case: Odontoid fracture

16:40 - 16:50

Case: Cervical locked facet

16:50 - 17:00

Case: Atlas fracture

17:00 - 17:10

Case: Hangman fracture

17:10 - 17:20

Case: CSM posterior decompression

17:20 - 17:30

Case: CSM anterior decompression

17:30 - 18:30

Hands-on workshop on models

Faculty Dinner

May 17th SUNDAY
Time
Topic
Speaker
Moderators

Panel 6 - Thoracolumbar Trauma

08:30 - 08:40

Classification of thoracolumbar fractures

08:40 - 08:50

Management of thoracolumbar fractures

08:50 - 09:00

Classification of osteoporotic fractures

09:00 - 09:10

Management of osteoporotic fractures

09:10 - 09:20

Vertebral augmentation for osteoporotic fractures

09:20 - 09:30

Discussion

09:30 - 10:00

Coffee Break

Panel 7 - Spinal Deformity

10:00 - 10:15

Principles of spinal deformity management

10:15 - 10:25

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: Classification and management options

10:25 - 10:35

Correction maneuvers for scoliosis

10:35 - 10:45

Congenital scoliosis: Management options

10:45 - 10:55

Spinal osteotomy techniques

10:55 - 11:05

Prevention of osteotomy complications

11:05 - 11:20

Adult degenerative scoliosis: Classification and management

11:20 - 11:40

Prevention of adult degenerative scoliosis surgery complications

11:40 - 11:50

Pseudoarthrosis: Prevention and management

11:50 - 12:00

Adjacent level disease: Prevention and management

12:00 - 13:00

--LUNCH--

Panel 8 - Spine Tumors

13:00 - 13:10

Case: Metastatic spine tumor

13:10 - 13:20

Current Surgical strategies for spinal metastasis

13:20 - 13:30

Multidisciplinary management for spinal metastasis

13:30 - 13:40

Primary spine tumors: Management options

13:40 - 13:50

Intradural spinal tumor surgery

13:50 - 14:00

Discussion

Panel 9 - TL Surgical Approaches

14:00 - 14:10

Surgical approaches to cervicothoracic junction

14:10 - 14:20

Anterolateral approaches to thoracic spine

14:20 - 14:30

Posterolateral approaches to thoracic spine

14:30 - 14:40

Anterior and anterolateral approaches to lumbar spine

14:40 - 15:10

Coffee Break

Panel 10 - Course 2

15:10 - 15:20

Case: Metastatic spine tumor

15:20 - 15:30

Case: Primary spine tumor

15:30 - 15:40

Case: Cervicothoracic junction anterior approach

15:40 - 15:50

Case: Thoracic /TL junction anterior approach

15:50 - 16:00

Case: Sacrum tumor

16:00 - 17:00

Hands-on workshop on models

Closing

Connect

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©2026 by ISS-Ismail Bozkurt

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