New trend in endoscopic surgery: transvaginal appendectomy NOTES (Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery)
Tabutsadze, T.; Kipshidze, N.
Georgian Medical News 2009(168): 7-10
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 1512-0112 PMID: 19359710 Document Number: 628400
Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery is a new method of mini invasive surgery, which involves passing surgical instruments, and a tiny camera, through a natural orifice, such as the mouth, vagina, urethra or rectum, what provides the access to the desired organ. The procedure is approved due to its benefits - less pain, quicker recoveries, fewer complications and no scar - as it lets us avoid major incisions through the skin, muscle and nerves of the abdomen. Besides that the transluminal access is considered to be the most safe and feasible for clinical application. Here are discussed the two operations of Transvaginal Appendectomy performed in Caucasus - Academician N. Kipshidze University Hospital in Tbilisi. The first patient - a 28-year woman, weight - 72 kg, height - 180 cm, married, has one child - was submitted to the hospital with anamnesis of 48 hours acute appendicitis, typical clinical semiotics and laboratory records. In the second case the patient was a 22-year old woman, height - 170 cm, weight - 68 kg, married, with 2 children. She was hospitalized with 24 hours acute appendicitis anamnesis and typical clinical semiotics and laboratory records. Both operations were performed under general anesthesia, using Karl Storz GmbH & Co. equipment. The duration of the first procedure was 76 minutes and the second operation lasted for 88 minutes. The operations were made without any technical difficulties or complications. None of the patients had the need of non-narcotic analgesia during the post-operational period. No gynecological or surgical problems or any complications were detected during the observation period. The patients had superior postoperative evolution, so the stationary stay made up 36 hours after the first operation and 30 hours after the second. Essentially NOTES is a new trend in endoscopic surgery - the non-scar surgery with major advantages compared to the conventional - the NOTES takes endoscopic surgery one step further in terms of reducing pain and avoiding long hospitalization and is much more effective. The doctors hope to have more developed and flexible endoscopic surgical tools as they are planning to perform more complicated procedures in the future. Taking in consideration the appropriate experience of the operator the procedure is safe, more physiological and precise. Natural-orifice surgery becomes more familiar and as more procedures are successfully performed, the acceptance of it will grow. We consider NOTES is a challenge in surgery and in the nearest future in case of suitable technical support it will replace not only conventional medicine but laparoscopic too.