The First Transcolonic Cholecystectomy in Korea: A NOTES Survival Study in an Animal Model

ABSTRACT

Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is a new and rapidly evolving hybrid procedure in which the endoscope is introduced into the peritoneal cavity through the stomach, colon, vagina or urethra. A transcolonic approach is applicable for upper abdomen surgery. The present report describes a successful transcolonic cholecystectomy performed in a pig. The total operation time was 180 minutes. The pig survived without any complications for 7 days post-operatively. Necropsy after euthanasia showed no evidence of organ injury, bleeding or suppurative peritonitis, and it revealed that the colonic wall that had been incised and then closed using multiple endoscopic clippings was water-tight and air-tight. This is the first transcolonic cholecystectomy performed in Korea. This approach may represent a promising new method for performing NOTES.