2- UTILISATION OF LAPAROSCOPIC SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY AND EXPERIENCE TO PERFORM NATURAL ORIFICE TRANSLUMINAL ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY (NOTES), A NEW ERA IN MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY`

Abstract

The field of minimally invasive surgery has seen tremendous development and refinement since the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 1987. Laparoscopic surgery has several advantages over traditional surgery. The next logical step in the evolution of minimally invasive surgery may be to eliminate all abdominal incisions. The terms being used in the literature include �incisionless�, �endoluminal�, �transluminal�, and �Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery� (NOTES). This article aims to summarize the background and current status of NOTES.