Laparoscopic abdominal surgery in 1993: a significant advance or the Emperor's new clothes?

Laparoscopic surgery is proven and efficacious for cholelithiasis, appendicitis, reflux esophagitis, and perforated ulcers. Future reports should be forthright and include cost of equipment, operating room time, and length of surgery so that meaningful analyses and comparisons to traditional surgery can be performed. Laparoscopic surgery is a developing field that will grow in spurts and not without pain or risk. As we sort out objectivity and follow-up data, we will discern fact from fantasy. The influence of industry on this field has been enormous and at odds with what current health administrators will reimburse for procedures. Laparoscopic surgery is not the emperor's new clothes; it has substance and fabric. Operations, like layers of vestments, will be added to and will adorn the surgical mannequin, adding only luster and finery.