Abstract: Translational medicine (TM) was first introduced in 1992. The core objective of TM is to translate basic scientific findings into therapeutic interventions for patients. TM can increase the understanding of important disease processes. In recent years, the investment in basic medical research has been increasing, but very few results can benefit clinical practice. To prevent basic and clinical medicine being disjointed and fragmented, TM is urgently needed. In worldwide, the development history of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is also the process of collaborative development between basic medicine and clinical medicine. China adopted the minimally invasive surgery later than the western countries. However, through the early TM efforts of Chinese academics, Chinese MIS is building up a momentum and starts to impact MIS field worldwide. The most important issue at this time is how we improve the conversion rate of basic medicine to clinical medicine. Here, we briefly review the applications and difficulties of TM in MIS, especially in China.

Key words: translational medicine, Chinese minimally invasive surgery, natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery, laparoendoscopic single site surgery