[Development and future of minimally invasive surgery in western China].

There are vast land and lots of people in western China, but the economy developing is relatively slow. However, the minimally invasive surgery was carried out firstly in China. Moreover, the type, number and difficulty of the minimally invasive surgery increased year by year. Especially, in the western area of China, Dr Zhou Zongguang, Yu Peiwu and Zheng Shuguo et al. have performed much pioneering work in laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer, gastric cancer and laparoscopic liver resection. They led the standard development of minimally invasive in China. In the future, western China should continue to strengthen the standardized training of minimally invasive surgery, make great effort to carry out evidence-based research of minimally invasive surgery, provide evidences of high level of clinical application in minimally invasive surgery. At the same time, we should carry out the robotic and 3D laparoscopic surgery actively, leading the development of minimally invasive surgery more standardized and more widespread in western China.