Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES)
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-in-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D. [2]
Overview
Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is an experimental surgical technique whereby "scarless" abdominal operations can be performed, this involves passing surgical instruments and a tiny camera through a natural orifice (mouth, urethra, anus, etc.) then through an internal incision in the stomach, vagina, bladder or colon, thus avoiding scars and external incisions through the skin, muscles, and nerves. The patients recover more quickly and experience less pain with better cosmetic results, and postoperative complications such as wound infections and hernias are significantly reduced.