The role of minimally invasive surgery in oncology – part 1: laparoscopy

Recent years have shown a substantial increase in minimally invasive procedures for the management of cancer in human patients, owing to the potential for improved perioperative outcomes and the demonstration of oncologic outcomes that are at least equivalent relative to those of open surgical procedures. In veterinary medicine, applications of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for oncologic patients have experienced a recent expansion, though much work remains to further determine indications and benefits of MIS for these patients. Part 1 of this series serves as a review of laparoscopic applications for abdominal oncologic procedures reported in companion animals and provides a comparative overview regarding data in humans. Considerations including indications, complications, and outcomes unique to MIS for a variety of canine and feline neoplastic diseases are discussed. Future directions for MIS in veterinary oncology, including robotic surgery, near-infrared image-guided surgery, and combination procedures with interventional radiology techniques, are also explored in part 2 of this review.