title: History of colorectal surgery: A comprehensive historical review from the ancient Egyptians to the surgical robot.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colorectal surgery has its roots in the early civilisations and its development followed a complex pathway never disjoined from the social and cultural environment where it took place.
  
  
  METHODS
  The most relevant historical sources have been evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A comprehensive review of the history of colorectal surgery is presented, from the ancient Egyptian culture to the modern achievements. The development of surgery of colon, rectum and anus is reported with particular reference to the social environment and history; as the development of colorectal surgery parallels the occurrence of human historical events, the study of the former cannot be disjoined from the latter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Study and knowledge of the history of medicine--and, in particular, of colorectal surgery for those interested in this particular subject--is a privileged way to understand who we are nowadays and where we come from.
authors: Noble's Hospital, Strang, Douglas, IM4 4RJ, Isle of Man, Giovanni.Tebala@gov.im.
authors: Giovanni Domenico
authors: GD
authors: Tebala
mesh_terms: D018612:Byzantium; D003107:Colorectal Surgery / Q000266:history*; D004534:Egypt; D006115:Greece; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007599:Judaism; D008877:Middle East; D012371:Robotics / Q000266:history; D018644:Roman World