title: Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES): patients' perceptions and attitudes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) has generated a surge of enthusiasm among researchers by virtue of its challenge to the dogma and potential benefits. However, no data is available in the medical literature about NOTES' acceptance by patients in Asia. The aim of the study is to survey patients' perceptions and attitudes towards NOTES.
  
  
  METHODS
  It is a questionnaire-based multi-center study on inpatient subjects with various gastrointestinal disorders from 14 hospitals in 12 cities of China. Procedural details with the benefits and risks of NOTES, laparoscopic surgery, and conventional surgery were explained to all registered candidates. They were required to choose and cite reasons for adopting one of the above three surgical techniques as the preferred mode of treatment. The reasons for selection of the surgical treatment were: safety, efficacy, cost, postoperative pain, abdominal wounds, and scarring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 1,797 cases, including 976 (54.3%) males and 821 females (45.7%). Based on their comprehension of the procedure, 802 (44.6%) patients opted for NOTES, 757 (42.1%) for laparoscopic surgery, and 238 (13.2%) for conventional surgery. NOTES was mainly selected by the young and educated persons, especially females and by those with past exposure to laparoscopy or conventional surgery. The choice of treatment was significantly correlated with age (P=0.0021), education (P=0.0209), past medical history (laparoscopy, P=0.0134; open surgery, P<0.0001), and department of admission (P=0.0173). The preference for NOTES was based on safety (37.3%), cost (17.6%), elimination of postoperative scars (16.1%), abdominal wounds (16.0%), and efficacy (13.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The vast majority of patients prefer mini-invasive surgery to conventional surgery. The potential recipients of NOTES are educated and younger age groups. However, a few consider NOTES as a safe and effective intervention at present.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Fuxing Road 28, 100853, Beijing, China. liwen2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zi-Kai
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-Ning
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Shan-Duo
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ba
authors.forename: Duo-Wu
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yong-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ming-Jun
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Si-De
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jian-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057605:Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult