What role, if any, for laparoscopis surgery in Chron's disease of the hindgut?

An outsider to the field of surgery would probably take it for granted that surgeons have a highly developed rationale for choosing a laparoscopic approach to Crohns disease. After all, an increasing number of surgeons are performing laparoscopic surgery for Crohns disease as witnessed by several articles published in the 1990s (Table). In fact this is not quite true. Most papers are case reports or series without controls, capable only of suggesting feasibility. Furthermore, comparison studies often feature selection flaws, and therefore beg the question of whether laparoscopic surgery should or not be considered as standard care. An attempt is made herein to give readers a concise insight of the evidence available in the English language literature. It does not pretend to offer a comprehensive review of the topic rather, it highlights some relevant issues, and then outlines what role, if any, laparoscopic surgery should play in Crohn's disease. There are at least 6 categories for discussion.