Endoscopic surgery - a fascinating idea requires responsibility in evaluation and handling

When we think of the pioneers of endoscopic surgery, we think of people like Wittmoser, Semm, Mühe, Wickham, Mouret, Perissat and Buess as well as industrialists like Karl Storz and Leon C. Hirsch (Figure 1). Despite differences in personalities, these pioneers had an impact on endoscopic surgery because of important, common denominators they shared, such as curiosity, eccentricity, and, according to De Bono and Böcher, "lateral thinking." Of course, these pioneers were ignored at the beginning and even called crazy. They saw controlled clinical trials as irrelevant to their work. They were open minded, innovative and recognized the revolutionary potential of seeing their ideas come to fruition. And it was from these risk-takers that endoscopic surgery - this fascinating alternative in general surgery - was born.