Minimal access surgery continues to evolve at a fast pace. This book, Current Concepts and Controversies in Laparoscopic Surgery, provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of some specialist areas in this field. The chapters cover a fascinating variety of subjects in areas where recent developments have had a significant effect on clinical practice. The topics discussed include the risks of laparoscopic access techniques, gastrointestinal anastomoses, minimal access surgery for early rectal cancer, and simulation in laparoscopic surgery. This book is an invaluable resource for physicians, surgeons, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals who seek to refresh and expand their knowledge in laparoscopic surgery as well as a source of excellent information for those preparing for professional examinations.

Single-access laparoscopic surgery (SALS), performed using a single transumbilical access, has recently proved to bring advantages over other forms of laparoscopic surgery due to the reduction in the number of incisions and the consequent decrease in morbidity, less blood loss and postoperative pain. Furthermore, cosmesis may be improved because incision within the umbilicus renders surgery virtually scarless. Nevertheless, as with all new surgical concepts, questions may be raised regarding safety, usefulness and appropriateness. This book analyzes the use of SALS for different indications and abdominal surgical procedures based on a careful literature review of the experience of the most important surgical teams employing this approach and also the authors’ personal observations. The coverage is broad, encompassing, for example, the role of SALS in appendectomy, repair of abdominal wall defects, cholecystectomy, gastric surgery, nephrectomy, splenectomy, hemicolectomy and pancreatic, liver and gynecological surgery.

There are numerous textbooks detailing almost every aspect of the different laparoscopic procedures. However, in this era of evidence-based medicine, a text focusing on the controversies – from the laparoscopic as well as the general surgeon's point of view – is missing. This book is not intended to be yet another textbook of laparoscopy; instead, its main purpose is to address unsettled issues of controversy. This will significantly enhance evidence-based knowledge of this developing field, stimulate thinking and discussions in rounds and meetings, assist surgeons in their decision making and stimulate further research. This book is not aimed only at laparoscopic surgeons – with their steadily increasing number – but also at general surgeons and surgical trainees. It will define and sharpen points of controversy by internationally recognized authors, and thus provide 'state of the art' quality to each topic.

The book covers the recent developments in various aspects of minimal access surgery (laparoscopic and robotic surgery), which is fairly a new branch of surgery that has advanced tremendously in last few years. This is the first volume of the set of books on recent concepts in minimal access surgery. It provides step-by-step descriptions accompanied by numerous helpful photographs and anatomical drawings. It also includes the controversies and gives a cumulative opinion on the recent changes developing in minimal access surgery (MAS). It includes system wise topics and separate chapters on the different topics within the system with the meta-analysis of recent topic or their controversies. The book is useful for practitioners and young faculties as well as residents, trainees and fellows of surgery and minimal access surgery.

Laparoscopic surgery developed as the most element change ever in the history of surgery. The approach of this method is no more a late headway. The history goes back three decades now when appendectomy was initially performed laparoscopically in 1983. It was then polished by not very many specialists, and there was a moderate move of the method from traditional open surgery to laparoscopic surgery. Hesitance to take in an absolutely new method, absence of facilities, and appropriate training were main considerations ruining its direction. After an underlying hindered period came a sudden ascent in the worldwide preoccupation of the consideration toward this novel strategy. There was an aggregate move from open to laparoscopic surgery in a large portion of the focuses with an expanding rundown of operations being performed laparoscopically. This book is intended to bring forward the very many advancements in the field of laparoscopic surgery. There are many valuable contributions from eminent laparoscopic surgeons ranging from diagnostic to therapeutic procedures performed by this technique. I hope it will benefit the trainee surgeons as well as the experienced alike. Suggestions and positive criticism are more than welcome.

The present book, published by InTech, has been written by a number of highly outstanding authors from all over the world. Every author provides information concerning treatment of different diseases based on his or her knowledge, experience and skills. The chapters are very useful and innovative. This book is not merely devoted to urology sciences. There are also clear results and conclusions on the treatment of many diseases, for example well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma. We should not forget nor neglect that laparoscopy is in use more extensively than before, and in the future new subjects such as use of laparascopy in treatment of kidney cysts, simple nephrectomy, pyeloplasty, donor nephrectomy and even robotic laparoscopy will be researched further.