Preliminary results showed the feasibility and safety of the transvaginal NOTES method in this small initial study population. The technique, developed in our institution, and not transgastric NOTES, may be the preferred approach to serve as the basis for clinical studies.

Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery is a new development area with potential advantages for patients. However, technical and ethical challenges involved in perforation and closure of a healthy organ, as seen in transgastric access, and lack of comprehension of physiopathology of these approaches haven't allowed clinical application. The present study, based on previous animal experiments, describes the first clinical application of transvaginal Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery. On March 13, 2007, a 43-year-old female patient with symptomatic cholelithiasis with surgical indication was submitted to elective Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery transvaginal cholecystectomy using a colonoscope, endoscopic graspers, and vaginal platform instruments. Operative time was 66 minutes, and vaginal access and closure were obtained in 15 minutes. The patient had good postoperative evolution and was dismissed within 48 hours without complications. Recent literature and experience of the present study group suggest possibilities for preliminary clinical applications by transvaginal natural orifice surgery. The access may offer earlier benefits in the literature than the transgastric route because of lack of danger of fistula and peritonitis. Further studies regarding instrument development and physiology of natural orifice surgery are ongoing, possibly bringing solutions for more advanced procedures.

Cervical vertebral canal diameter decreased significantly with extension and increased with flexion. The results support the presence of dynamic impingement possibly playing a role in diseases characterized by vertebral canal stenosis, such as cervical spondylomyelopathy.

Laparoscopy is now a reliable method for staging gastrointestinal cancer, orienting the therapy, and avoiding unnecessary laparotomy. Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is an emerging concept with potential advantages for patient recovery. The first case of clinical diagnostic application of transvaginal NOTES for diagnostic cancer staging is presented. Informed consent and Institutional Commission approval were obtained for transvaginal clinical trials. On February 28, 2007, a patient with elective surgical indication for diagnostic cancer staging was submitted to transvaginal NOTES procedure, and intra- and postoperative parameters were documented. In a 50-year-old female patient presenting with ascitis, diffuse abdominal pain, and weight loss for 2 months, diagnosis of peritoneal carcinomatosis was suspected, which was also found when a CT scan was performed. Transvaginal NOTES was used for diagnostic staging of the patient, using a colonoscope introduced into the abdomen through a small incision in the vagina. Biopsies of liver, diaphragm, ovaries, and peritoneum were successfully performed. Operative time was 105 min, vaginal access and closure was obtained in 15 min. Abdominal inventory was reliable, and all 16 biopsies taken were positive for ovarian adenocarcinoma. The patient was dismissed 48 hours after the procedure without complications. Recent literature and experience of the study group suggest possibilities for preliminary clinical applications by transvaginal natural orifice surgery for diagnostic purposes.

BackgroundLigation of the mesovarium in female dogs may be cumbersome with risk of complications and is associated with intense noxious stimuli. A resorbable implant, a self-locking loop designed for surgery, was developed as an alternative to traditional ligation. The study aimed to test the feasibility of ligating the canine ovarian pedicle with the implant and to compare its performance to traditional suture ligation.ResultsIn total 45 intact female dogs destined for elective ovariohysterectomy and adoption were included. In 21 dogs the new resorbable implant was used to ligate the mesovarium, and in 24 control dogs traditional suture was used with one encircling ligature. Mean weight of implant dogs was 10.7 ± 5.6 kg (range 3.5–22.0), and mean weight of control dogs was 12.8 ± 6.4 kg, (range 4.1–27.0). The body weight of dogs did not differ between groups (P = 0.25). In total, 42 ovarian pedicles were successfully ligated with the implant. In one control dog, intraoperative haemorrhage from the left ovarian pedicle was diagnosed. The mesovarium was re-ligated and haemostasis was confirmed. All dogs recovered uneventfully. The ligation time of the mesovarium was significantly shortened (P = 0.02) by using the self-locking implant versus a single ligature (3′28′′ ± 1′05′′ and 5′29′′ ± 3′54′′, respectively). Total duration of surgery differed between the groups (P = 0.02) with a shortened duration of surgery when using the self-locking implant (15′56′′ ± 2′47′′ and 20′39′′ ± 8′58′′, study group versus control group, respectively). In both groups, duration of surgery and time required to ligate the ovarian pedicle were longer in larger dogs than smaller dogs.ConclusionThe results of this feasibility study suggested the implant can be used to ligate the canine mesovarium. Compared with traditional suture ligation, the results suggested that time to ligate the ovarian pedicle and duration of surgery were significantly reduced with the implant. More time was required to perform surgeries in larger dogs.