The Italian Society for Endoscopic Surgery (S.I.C.E.) was founded in Rome by Licinio Angelini, Nicola Basso, Salvatore Mancuso and Riccardo Marana in 1991 with the aim of promoting and developing studies and scientific research in the field of endoscopic surgery and other technological fields related to this particular branch of the surgical sciences.
The hard work of the President Francesco Morino, of the General Secretary Nicola Basso and of the Steering Committee led, in 1994, to the final union with the other three societies of minimally invasive surgery, founded in the meantime, namely the Italian Association of Celioscopic Surgery (AICC), the Italian Society of Emergency Laparoscopic Surgery and the Italian Society of Endo-Laparoscopic and Minimally-Invasive Surgery (SICEM).
S.I.C.E. thus modified its denomination to become the Italian Society for Endoscopic Surgery and Minimally-Invasive Surgery (S.I.C.E.).
— President Alberto Montori — (1994-1997) Italian endoscopic surgery was thus represented as a single body within the European scientific community and took part with a leading role in the Federation of European Societies within the EAES — European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (Blockmembership). The EAES Blockmembership has been operating since 1996 and "Surgical Endoscopy" has become the official journal also of the Italian Society for Endoscopic Surgery.
During this same period, four national registries were set up, and are still in use today, concerning the most significant diseases treated laparoscopically. Statistical data are available on this web site, both to the affiliated centres and to members, under the section National Registries.
Since 1995, SICE holds its National Congress every two years, taking part in the alternating years in the "Italian Surgery Week", organized by the Italian Society of Surgery (S.I.C.).
In 1995, the S.I.C.E.-Industry Joint Committee was set up and a protocol was defined in order to set out guidelines for sponsorizations with the 11 Leading Companies in the field.
In 1997, whilst Enrico Croce was President of the Society, the organization and management of the Society were updated and the Society now has 500 active members.
Twinning with the Société Française de Chirurgie Endoscopique (SFCE) has been finalized and the first steps have been taken towards twinning with Societies in Argentina and Middle East countries.
As far as concerns the current issues regarding self-regulation of scientific meeting activities, SICE was the first to define and publicize guidelines to be used for performing live surgery during Congresses. Steering Committee efforts were focused on the formation of young surgeons, an agreement having been drawn up between SICE and the ACOI (Italian Association of Hospital Surgeons) School of Laparoscopic Surgery.
The rapid progress made in methods and the development of new and sophisticated techniques, of which the Society is constantly aware, has led, after 10 years, to a change being made in the denomination of the Society, now known as the Italian Society for Endoscopic Surgery and New Technologies.
SICE, in its first 15 years, has continued to represent a prestigious reference point of Italian minimally invasive surgery.
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