title: Robot-assisted laparoscopy, natural orifice transluminal endoscopy, and single-site laparoscopy in reproductive surgery.
abstract: Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery is continuously pushing its limits by embracing ever more sophisticated technology. This is also true for reproductive surgery, arguably the birthplace of gynecologic endoscopy, where minimally invasive treatment of uterine, tubal, ovarian, and peritoneal pathology has long become the gold standard. This article describes in some detail three novel minimally invasive surgery approaches that have seen the light during the past decade: robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery, natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery, and single-incision laparoscopic surgery. These fascinating technologies, far from being widely adopted, are sure to generate scientific controversy for years to come. Nonetheless, they follow in the footsteps of the tradition of innovation that is a defining aspect of our specialty and hold the promise to potentially revolutionize the field of reproductive surgery.
authors: Center for Infertility and Reproductive Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. agargiulo@partners.org
authors: Antonio R
authors: AR
authors: Gargiulo
authors: Ceana
authors: C
authors: Nezhat
mesh_terms: D004715:Endometriosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000601:surgery; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000601:surgery; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D057605:Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012098:Reproduction; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000639:trends; D013243:Sterilization Reversal / Q000379:methods; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery