Principles and Practice of Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopy is a paradigm shift in abdominal surgery with the surgeon sacrificing wrist movement and tactile feedback for the benefits of precision and reduced trauma. This closed-cavity surgery technique of laparoscopy with complex gadgetry has been a notable advancement in surgical practice. The benefits include reduced post-operative pain, hospital stay, early return to work, and improved cosmesis. Surgeons are challenged to operate with a magnified visual field of the abdominal cavity on a video monitor using long slender instruments inserted through miniature skin with a peritoneal distension medium established for the workspace.

The overwhelming evidence in medical literature in favour of laparoscopic surgery has shifted from ‘Which procedure can?’ to ‘Which cannot?’. A wide application of laparoscopic surgery can be seen from specialty surgeons that operate within the abdominal cavity. Currently, this practice is well established in high-index countries but still budding in low-middle-income countries LMICs. Beyond open surgery skills, laparoscopic surgeons must be familiar with complex gadgetry, specialized instruments, pneumoperitoneum, and other unique aspects of laparoscopic surgery. This requires adequate training for optimal outcomes.

Competence in laparoscopic surgery is gained from simulation training and guided practice for beginners. This book is an adjunct to proctored training for laparoscopic surgery skills. It is crafted with in-depth discussion on the basic principles of laparoscopic surgery, numerous figure illustrations, easy-to-read text, and operative details of basic laparoscopic procedures. It highlights practices from regions of the world where this practice is yet to be entrenched. This book is designed for medical students, nurses, post-graduate surgical trainees, and beginner laparoscopic surgeons in the various subspecialties of surgery involved with the abdomen- General/ Hepaticopancreatobiliary/ Colorectal/ Pediatric Surgery, Urology, and Gynecology. It is our sincere hope that the book meets the desired objectives.