[Laparoscopic training--the guarantee of a future in pediatric surgery]

Laparoscopy is considered today the highlight of modern surgery, the forerunner of the fascinating world of video and robotic surgery, both of them derived from the sophisticated areas of aeronautic industry. Remarkably, Romanian specialists keep up with the pace of worldwide technological developments, assimilating one by one each and every video endoscopic procedure. In the early 90s, the Romanian laparos-copic school was founded with the contribution of many important personalities; their activities and achievements have been an inspiration for the following generation of laparoscopic surgeons. In this last decade, the newest branch of laparoscopic surgery in our country, pediatric laparoscopy, managed to evolve from its "shy" beginnings to become an important method of improving the quality of surgical procedures, to the benefit of our "small patients". The purpose of this article is to encourage and promote minimally invasive video endoscopic surgery training, emphasizing its crucial role in the education and professional development of the next generation of pediatric surgeons, and not only. The modem concept of laparoscopic training includes experimental scientific practices, as well as the newest technical acquisitions such as virtual reality video-electronic simulation.