Advanced laparoscopy: "the next generation". The adrenal, kidney, spleen, pancreas, and liver.

Following the rapid acceptance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a few adventurous surgeons "dared to boldly go where no one had gone before." They sought to achieve the same reduction in morbidity while accomplishing the same surgical goals. This paper will briefly review the current status of minimal access surgery for the solid organs of the abdomen. It will focus on the indications, risks, limitations, and on the balance between the trauma of access and the trauma of the procedure itself. As new techniques and equipment emerge and experience and data are accumulated, this balance may shift. Some of these procedures are in their infancy while others are rapidly becoming the new "Gold Standard".