["Mini-invasive" surgery of the abdomen in 1996]

Intracavitary abdominal and thoracic operations as well as endoluminal procedures, guided or assisted by videoendoscopic techniques through minimal access sites have the following goals: Diagnosis, excision only of an organ, excision followed by reconstruction, repair only. The indications are well established for diagnostic procedures and organ excisions only. They are being defined for excisions and repair or repair only by present, widespread clinical activities and participation in prospective randomized clinical trials. The author presents recommendations for a variety of operations in each one of the four groups.