ABSTRACT
Uneventful access into the peritoneal cavity without the use of a significant laparotomy is the raison d’être for laparoscopic surgery. Minimally invasive techniques have now been adopted by all areas of surgery, and continued advancements have reached levels thought unimaginable even a decade ago. Yet, the advantage of a skillfully performed laparoscopic procedure is greatly diminished if the surgery culminates in a large incision created for the removal of an extirpated organ or tissue. This tactical challenge led one of the first pioneers of laparoscopic surgery to declare that the creation of effective, minimally invasive techniques for laparoscopic tissue retrieval is the “Holy Grail” of the discipline. Such techniques must be intrinsically safe and both time and cost efficient if they are to enhance the inherent benefits of laparoscopic surgery.
