[Minimal invasive surgery in childhood].

An overview is provided of the procedures performed to date in children. The procedures are listed according to their estimated frequency and a prognosis is attempted on their presumed future role in pediatric surgery. A good prognosis is indicated for diagnostic laparoscopy such as for ill-defined abdominal pain, cryptorchidism, and diagnostics of the inner genitalia. Amongst the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, the lysis of adhesions and ligature of varicoceles will become part of pediatric surgical practice, as will appendectomy. Procedures such as fundoplication, pyloromyotomy, cholecystectomy, sigmoid resection, splenectomy and nephrectomy may only continue to carried out in specialized centers. Technical details of the various procedures are given.