ABSTRACT
The laparoscopic approach for general surgery has had widespread acceptance since its introduction in the late 1980s. The success of this technique for procedures such as cholecystectomy, Nissen fundoplication, splenectomy, and adrenalectomy has led to its application for a wide variety of more complex surgical procedures. When laparoscopy was initially used for the treatment of patients with cancer, concerns arose as to whether the oncological principles that are considered fundamental during open surgery would be compromised.
