Minimal access surgery is completed with one or more small incisions instead of a large incision. The surgeon passes a telescope with a video camera through a small incision into a body cavity. The surgeon then views the surgery on a TV monitor. Minimally invasive surgery offers patients several benefits such as smaller incisions, faster recovery times, reduced pain and scarring. In many cases, minimally invasive surgery also offers a higher accuracy rate compared to traditional open surgery. Part of the Recent Advances series, this volume is a comprehensive guide to the latest advances in minimal access surgery. Divided into 18 sections, the book covers minimal access surgery for many conditions, predominantly different types of cancer such as rectal carcinoma, biliary cancer, neuroendocrine tumours, cancer of the oesophagus, and gastric cancer. Other topics include rectal prolapse, gastric bypass, super obesity and weight-loss surgery, and novel diagnostics for small bowel disease. The highly illustrated text features more than 160 clinical photographs and figures to assist learning.