The introduction of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) marked a turning point in the history of medicine, driving one of the sharpest declines in surgical mortality and morbidity ever recorded—saving millions of lives and sparing an estimated one billion patients the suffering once inherent to large-incision surgery. Within a single generation, this once highly contested surgical innovation became the global standard of care, transforming surgical practice across disciplines and on a global scale. By every measure of public health, these outcomes place modern minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery as among the most consequential life-saving advances in modern medical history. This review examines the clinical impact and global dissemination of MIS, tracing its evolution from Camran Nezhat’s pioneering expansion of laparoscopy beyond diagnostics to complex therapeutic procedures across surgical disciplines. Drawing on decades of evidence across gynecology, general surgery, and urology, we show that MIS is associated with substantial reductions in perioperative mortality, major complications, blood loss, infections, thromboembolic events, postoperative pain, and length of hospital stay, while maintaining oncologic equivalence and improving functional and quality-of-life outcomes. Beyond these technical advances, MIS catalyzed a broader reimagining of surgery itself, challenging long-standing norms rooted in large-incision approaches and shifting the field toward precision, organ preservation, and pathology-directed intervention. These changes were accompanied by parallel advances in multiple domains, including in imaging, intraoperative visualization technologies, surgical anatomy, instrumentation, and nerve- and organ-sparing techniques—developments that collectively established the foundation for contemporary minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery. Collectively, these advances have contributed to the prevention of an estimated 10–20 million surgery-related deaths that would likely have occurred under the large-incision approaches of the past.

Background/Objectives: Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory systemic disease that commonly affects bowel structures, including the appendix, where it may mimic or coexist with chronic appendicitis. Visual inspection alone often fails to detect appendiceal involvement, leading to underdiagnosis and suboptimal management. This study investigates the prevalence and histopathologic spectrum of appendiceal abnormalities in patients undergoing minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis and evaluates the safety and postoperative outcomes of selective appendectomy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 236 patients who underwent a selective appendectomy concurrent with laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis with and without robotic assistance from January 2024 to April 2025. Preoperative evaluation included clinical assessment, imaging, and risk stratification using the Nezhat Endometriosis Risk Advisor tool, with some patients referred after positive ReceptivaDx testing. Intraoperatively, the appendix was examined for endometriosis, adhesions, or obliteration, and abnormal findings warranted removal using a vascular stapler. Postoperative outcomes and histopathologic results were assessed over six months, with appendiceal involvement analyzed in relation to endometriosis stage. Results: Of 236 patients who underwent selective laparoscopic appendectomy during surgical treatment for endometriosis, abnormal appendiceal pathology was identified in 216 (91.53%) patients. Histopathology revealed appendiceal endometriosis in 34 patients (14.41%), adhesions in 140 (59.32%), fibrous obliteration in 82 (34.75%), inflammation in 20 (8.47%), and neuroendocrine tumors in 3 (1.27%), one of which was malignant. Endometriotic lesions of the appendix showed a significant association with advanced-stage (III–IV) disease (p = 0.05), while other pathologies were not stage-dependent. No intraoperative complications occurred, and postoperative outcomes were favorable, with only one readmission unrelated to the appendectomy. Conclusions: Selective appendectomy during laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis revealed a high prevalence (91.5%) of appendiceal pathology. Even without visible implants, the appendix may contribute to symptoms, underscoring the importance of thorough intraoperative evaluation. Selective appendectomy based on surgical findings may aid symptom relief, prevent missed diagnoses, and enhance comprehensive management of endometriosis, but these potential benefits must be weighed against the small risks of concurrent appendectomy.