Mesenteric-based gastrointestinal and colorectal surgery has been practiced internationally for over a century. However, it is not yet universally adopted, and considerable variations exist. Such variations are explained by the historical disparity that has persisted between anatomic and surgical approaches to the intestinal mesentery. While mesenteric-based surgery is far from new, it is remarkable that its anatomic basis has only recently been formally described. This means that key mese...