Laparoscopic surgery

The introduction of video assisted laparoscopic surgery in 1987 signalled the beginning of a new era in surgery, and together with interventional endoscopy and radiology has broadened the scope of minimal access therapy and improved the multidisciplinary management of complex diseases in gastroenterology. The unprecedented enthusiasm for laparoscopic surgery and the overwhelming demands for the training of qualified surgeons to acquire the laparoscopic skills resulted in a compromise of traditional graduated teaching principles in surgery. A phase of consolidation has now been entered where academic centres are in the process of evaluating the application of minimal access surgery in a controlled fashion. This review will examine the current role of laparoscopic surgery in common gastrointestinal conditions.