ABSTRACT
The abdominal incision is the only portion of the surgeon’s work which is accessible to the patient for examination. Despite the advent of minimally invasive and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery, the need remains for traditional open access to the abdominal cavity. Patients’ demand for smaller incisions for cosmetic purposes is supported by scientific data showing the deleterious impact of large incisions on healing and the immune response. Therefore, the wise selection of patient-appropriate incisions is a crucial surgical decision.
