Laparoscopic colorectal surgery

Laparoscopic surgery has radically changed the approach for common colorectal operations. These procedures are now well established. However, the path to such acceptance into mainstream practice was not without controversy.The field of laparoscopic colorectal surgery encompasses many operations for both benign and malignant conditions. This article will focus only on laparoscopic colorectal surgery for malignant conditions.The first half of this article examines the challenges that faced the innovators of laparoscopic colorectal techniques as well as the literature now supporting it. The second section covers the principles of laparoscopic surgery including preoperative work-up, theatre preparation and a review of energy devices. Finally, a description of a right hemicolectomy is used to illustrate core intra-operative colorectal laparoscopic principles.