An open and shut case : the story of keyhole or minimally invasive surgery

Keyhole surgery has been made possible through the rapid development of various medical technologies, first pioneered in the 1970s. Revolutionary in the way it reduced the risk, surgical complications, healing time and scarring compared to open surgery, keyhole surgery soon became the preferred method throughout many surgical specialities. Here, John Wickham, the 'godfather' of robotic surgery, reflects on a life spent in research, discovery and struggle for innovation in order to make keyhole surgery widespread, accessible and available to patients. An Open and Shut Case tracks the evolution of surgery in the later parts of the 20th century, from initial surgical training in the 1960s to the rapid growth in the field of minimally invasive techniques throughout the 1970s and 80s in many specialities, precursors to the techniques used today. It concludes with a look at the effect of the National Health Service on the practice of medicine and nursing in the UK throughout this time. Perfect for surgeons and those interested in the history of surgery and surgical techniques, it also focusses on lessons learnt, both good and bad, when dealing with the management of public health.