David R. Urbach, MD, MSc, FRCSC
Division of General Surgery,
University Health Network,
Assistant Professor,
Departments of Surgery and Health Administration,
University of Toronto,
Toronto, ON.

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has revolutionized the way that surgeons perform many operative procedures in the chest and abdomen. MIS generally refers to the use of a variety of new technologies and techniques that reduce the size of the incisions required for performing a surgical procedure. It is important to recognize that minimally invasive procedures are not new operations; rather they are novel approaches to performing the same procedures that have been done for decades. The most frequently cited advantages of MIS over conventional surgery include a reduction in postoperative pain, shorter post-operative hospital stay and a quicker return to full activities. Some procedures, such as cholecystectomy (removal of the gall bladder), are commonly performed using MIS techniques. For many other surgical procedures, there is large variation in the use of MIS. Some applications of MIS, such as minimally invasive cancer surgery, are controversial.

Laparoscopic surgery is especially relevant to the care of elderly persons. Because most gastro-intestinal diseases become more prevalent with increasing age, many of the patients treated by general surgeons are elderly.