Laparoscopic surgery for benign and malignant colorectal diseases.

Laparoscopic approaches to many benign and malignant colorectal diseases continue to expand and become more ubiquitous. Numerous studies have shown that diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and rectal prolapse can safely be managed laparoscopically. Laparoscopy for colon cancer is well studied and offers significant short-term benefits while preserving oncologic outcome. There are several large prospective studies underway to document long-term oncologic outcomes for the use of laparoscopy in the treatment of rectal cancer. With appropriate patient and surgeon selection, many significant clinical benefits can be achieved with this less invasive approach without compromising surgical quality.