Operative laparoscopy: redefining the limits.

The continually changing definition of operative laparoscopy as well as the ever-widening boundaries of its use are discussed in this report. It is important to prepare residents to adequately undertake advanced laparoscopic surgery as laparotomy is gradually replaced by laparoscopy for many routine procedures. Since degree of training and experience strongly correlate with complication rates, more focus on laparoscopy during graduate education would be beneficial to residents in order to keep them up to date with the rapid development of this field.