Laparoscopic Surgery Performed
Dr. Philippe Mouret performed the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy, revolutionizing surgery
March 01, 1987
Surgery Without a Large Cut
Laparoscopic surgery, sometimes called minimally invasive or keyhole surgery, allows surgeons to operate inside the body through small incisions — typically less than an inch — using a tiny camera and slender instruments. The first laparoscopic procedure on a human was performed in 1910 by Swedish physician Hans Christian Jacobaeus, who used a primitive telescope to examine the abdominal cavity. But the technique remained limited for decades due to poor lighting and imaging technology.
The Modern Era Begins
The modern era of laparoscopic surgery began in 1987 when French surgeon Philippe Mouret performed the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy — the removal of the gallbladder — using a video camera system. Within a few years, this approach had largely replaced open surgery for gallbladder removal. The first laparoscopic appendectomy followed in 1983, performed by Kurt Semm in Germany, though it was initially met with skepticism from the surgical community. By the 1990s, minimally invasive techniques were spreading to many types of abdominal surgery.
Benefits and Advances
Laparoscopic surgery dramatically reduced recovery times. Patients who once spent a week or more in the hospital after gallbladder surgery now go home the same day. Scarring is minimal, infection risk is lower, and pain is reduced. Robotic surgery systems like the da Vinci Surgical System, introduced in the early 2000s, took minimally invasive surgery further, giving surgeons greater precision through computer-assisted instruments. Today, laparoscopic and robotic techniques are used for cancer surgery, bariatric surgery, hernia repair, and many other procedures. Use our date calculator to explore this surgical timeline.