Laparoendoscopic surgery in gastrointestinal diseases: Status and future perspectives

Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) is a hybrid minimally invasive technique originally developed for treatment of gastric submucosal tumors. Several modifications of LECS—including inverted LECS, non-exposed endoscopic wall-inversion surgery, and closed LECS have evolved over a period of time to address the earlier concerns about peritoneal contamination and tumor seeding. These innovations have led to the application of combined laparoendoscopic techniques to several gastrointestinal (GI) lesions such as the duodenum, colon, and rectum. This minireview explores the evolution, current applications, and future potential of laparoendoscopic surgery in GI diseases.