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The modern achievement of minimally invasive surgery has focused primarily on the treatment of benign diseases. Consequently, cholecystectomy, hernia repair, and fundoplication represent the overwhelming majority of laparoscopic procedures in western countries. Historically, however, the ´keyhole´access to the abdominal cavity was intended to assess tumor spread or liver pathology. Creating a pneumoperitoneum has enabled surgeons to explore thoroughly specific areas of the abdomen such as the lesser sac, the subdiaphragmatic liver surface, or the lymph nodes at the celiac axis. In addition to using a laparoscopy for a diagnosis of benign diseases such as trauma and suspected appendicitis, as a logical consequence, operative diagnostic laparoscopy for purposes of staging malignancies related to the abdominal cavity has gained more and more attention.
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