ABSTRACT
Laparoscopic colorectal surgery has evolved rather slowly, primarily as the result of early difficulties in clearly showing patient advantages for the laparoscopic approach, oncologic concerns, and technical difficulties. To address oncologic concerns and the issues regarding whether there are benefits of minimally invasive colon surgery, multiple studies, including four major prospective, randomized, controlled trials were completed: each confirming that there are shortterm, patient-related benefits for laparoscopic colon surgery, and these advantages do not come at the expense of a technique-related reduction in oncologic outcome.
