Background: Laparoscopic surgery has evolved in a relatively short time to become a popular and integral part of the surgical armamentarium. An overview of developments which have taken place since its inception is presented.
Methods: The PubMed database was searched for all English language literature. Further references were obtained through cross-referencing the bibliography cited in each work and using books from the authors' collection.
Conclusion: Laparoscopic surgery has developed rapidly, initially from a basically diagnostic procedure to a therapeutic one which is currently challenging time-honoured traditional methods of surgery. Technological advancements and enthusiasm as well as the desire for scar less surgery appear to be poised to push even further the frontiers of this discipline.