A brief history of endoscopy, laparoscopy, and laparoscopic surgery

The ideas that form the framework for laparoscopic surgery were initially reported over a century ago. However, the introduction of the technique into the field of general surgery has been a relatively recent development. Laparoscopic surgery owes much of its history to the development of endoscopic technique. Early physicians such as the Arabian, Albukasim (936-1013 A.D.), and later in 1805, the Frankfurt-born physician, Phillip Bozzini, were among the first to develop methods to examine body orifices. Throughout the mid 1800's, several scientists attempted to construct endoscope-like instruments. The first effective open-tube endoscope was developed in 1853 by Desormeaux. This instrument was used to examine the urethra and the bladder. In the late 1800's, other physicians including Kussmaul and Nitze refined the original endoscopic models and began utilizing their new tools in their medical practice. Laparoscopy or endoscopically examining the peritoneal cavity was first attempted in 1901 by George Kelling who called this examining procedure "Celioscopy". In the early 1930's, the first reports of laparoscopic interventions for nondiagnostic purposes were published. Initial procedures included lysis of abdominal adhesions and diagnostic biopsies of abdominal organs under direct visualization. Throughout the 1960's and 1970's, laparoscopy became a vital part of gynecological practice. Despite these technological advances, it was not until after 1986, following the development of a video computer chip that allowed the magnification and projection of images onto television screens, that the techniques of laparoscopic surgery truly became integrated into the discipline of general surgery. The first laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed on a human patient was done in 1987 by the French physician Mouret. The rapid acceptance of the technique of laparoscopic surgery by the general population is unparalleled in surgical history. It has changed the field of general surgery more drastically and more rapidly than any other surgical milestone. This paper examines the history behind this exciting surgical technique.