title: New technology and applied research: what the future holds for LESS and NOTES.
abstract: Rapid technological developments in the 1970's contributed to the emergence of operative laparoscopy as a revolution in surgery. In recent years,  there has been a surge of interest in laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) and natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), novel  techniques  that have the potential to further minimize the invasiveness and morbidity of surgery. Innovations in instrument design and in novel surgical platforms  including robotic technology have rapidly been developed in an effort to enhance the future clinical applicability of these techniques. In this chapter,  we review the current status and future directions of LESS and NOTES technology, focusing on the current research in the field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390-9110, USA.
authors.forename: Ephrem O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Olweny
authors.forename: Sara L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: Chad R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Tracy
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cadeddu
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000639:trends*; D057605:Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D012371:Robotics; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000639:trends; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000639:trends*; D014572:Urology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000639:trends*