The E.A.E.S. consensus development conferences on laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendectomy, and hernia repair: consensus statements ― September 1994

Under the mandate of the Educational Committee of the European Association of Endoscopic Surgery (E.A.E.S.), three consensus development conferences (CDCs) were performed in order to assess the current status of the endoscopic surgical approaches for the treatment of cholelithiasis, appendicitis, and inguinal hernia. Consensus panels for the different disease states (10-13 members each) selected by the education committee on the basis of members' clinical expertise, academic activity, community influence, and geographical location weighed the evidence on the basis of published results according to the criteria for technology assessment : feasibility, efficacy, effectiveness, economy. Draft statements were prepared, discussed by the panels, and presented at plenary sessions of the 2nd European Congress of the E.A.E.S. in Madrid September 15-17, 1994. Following discussions final consensus statements were formulated to provide specific answers for each topic to a minimum of the following questions : 1. What stage of technological development is the endoscopic surgical procedure at (in September 1994) ? 2. Is endoscopic surgery safe and feasible ? 3. Is it beneficial to the patients ? 4. Who should undergo endoscopic surgery ? 5. What are the training recommendations ? Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the procedure of choice for symptomatic cholelithiasis. Laparoscopic appendectomy is presently at the efficacy stage of development, because most of the data on feasibility and safety originate from centers with special interest in endoscopic surgery : it is not yet the gold standard for acute appendicitis. Endoscopic hernia repair is presently a feasible alternative for conventional hernia repair if performed by experienced endoscopic surgeons. It appears to be efficacious in the short-term. The full text of the consensus panel's statements is given in this publication.