title: Laparoscopic approach in gastrointestinal emergencies.
abstract: This review focuses on the laparoscopic approach to gastrointestinal emergencies and its more recent indications. Laparoscopic surgery has a specific place in elective procedures, but that does not apply in emergency situations. In specific emergencies, there is a huge range of indications and different techniques to apply, and not all of them are equally settle. We consider that the most controversial points in minimally invasive procedures are indications in emergency situations due to technical difficulties. Some pathologies, such as oesophageal emergencies, obstruction due to colon cancer, abdominal hernias or incarcerated postsurgical hernias, are nearly always resolved by conventional surgery, that is, an open approach due to limited intraabdominal cavity space or due to the vulnerability of the bowel. These technical problems have been solved in many diseases, such as for perforated peptic ulcer or acute appendectomy for which a laparoscopic approach has become a well-known and globally supported procedure. On the other hand, endoscopic procedures have acquired further indications, relegating surgical solutions to a second place; this happens in cholangitis or pancreatic abscess drainage. This endoluminal approach avoids the need for laparoscopic development in these diseases. Nevertheless, new instruments and new technologies could extend the laparoscopic approach to a broader array of potentials procedures. There remains, however, a long way to go.
authors.affiliation: Rosa M Jimenez Rodriguez, Mercedes Flores-Cortés, Francisco López-Bernal, Cristobalina Martín, Verónica Pino Diaz, Felipe Pareja Ciuro, Javier Padillo Ruiz, Department of Surgery, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Jimenez Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Rosa M Jimenez Rodriguez, Mercedes Flores-Cortés, Francisco López-Bernal, Cristobalina Martín, Verónica Pino Diaz, Felipe Pareja Ciuro, Javier Padillo Ruiz, Department of Surgery, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Segura-Sampedro
authors.affiliation: Rosa M Jimenez Rodriguez, Mercedes Flores-Cortés, Francisco López-Bernal, Cristobalina Martín, Verónica Pino Diaz, Felipe Pareja Ciuro, Javier Padillo Ruiz, Department of Surgery, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flores-Cortés
authors.affiliation: Rosa M Jimenez Rodriguez, Mercedes Flores-Cortés, Francisco López-Bernal, Cristobalina Martín, Verónica Pino Diaz, Felipe Pareja Ciuro, Javier Padillo Ruiz, Department of Surgery, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López-Bernal
authors.affiliation: Rosa M Jimenez Rodriguez, Mercedes Flores-Cortés, Francisco López-Bernal, Cristobalina Martín, Verónica Pino Diaz, Felipe Pareja Ciuro, Javier Padillo Ruiz, Department of Surgery, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristobalina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.affiliation: Rosa M Jimenez Rodriguez, Mercedes Flores-Cortés, Francisco López-Bernal, Cristobalina Martín, Verónica Pino Diaz, Felipe Pareja Ciuro, Javier Padillo Ruiz, Department of Surgery, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Verónica Pino
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: Rosa M Jimenez Rodriguez, Mercedes Flores-Cortés, Francisco López-Bernal, Cristobalina Martín, Verónica Pino Diaz, Felipe Pareja Ciuro, Javier Padillo Ruiz, Department of Surgery, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Felipe Pareja
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Ciuro
authors.affiliation: Rosa M Jimenez Rodriguez, Mercedes Flores-Cortés, Francisco López-Bernal, Cristobalina Martín, Verónica Pino Diaz, Felipe Pareja Ciuro, Javier Padillo Ruiz, Department of Surgery, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier Padillo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ruiz
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Abdominal emergencies; Digestive emergencies; Emergency surgery; Gastrointestinal surgery; Minimally invasive surgery