Principles of rigid endoscopy

The rigid endoscope, from humble beginnings, has evolved into an instrument that has transformed practice in all surgical specialities, yet simultaneously is a source of much controversy. This article focuses on the history of rigid endoscopy and then discusses the main principles underlying the commonest application, namely laparoscopy. However, these principles can be extrapolated to all areas of minimal access surgery. The aim is not to be an exhaustive review of the literature for each sub-speciality, but to give the reader a broad introduction to the subject.