Developing neonatal minimally invasive surgery: Innovation, techniques, and helping an industry to change.

The field of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in neonates and infants is a relatively new field, evolving over the last 20years. This has required the development of not only new techniques but new instruments. The process has resulted in a unique partnership between pediatric minimally invasive surgeons and industry, as both groups have struggled to find the right mix of need, technical viability, and economic sustainability. The results have spawned a new generation of MIS instrumentation that not only enables the neonatal MIS surgeon but also leads the way in the field of mini-laparoscopy in children and adults.