title: Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic radical prostatectomy (NOTES RP): the evolution of the technique.
abstract: Minimally invasive surgery is advancing to new frontiers that attempt to limit patient morbidities while providing excellent surgical outcomes.  At the forefront of these efforts is natural orifice surgery, where surgical incisions can theoretically be eliminated. The purpose of this report  is to describe the evolution of the clinical development of the natural orifice translumenal endoscopic radical prostatectomy (NOTES RP). It details  the early experimental cadaver and animal work and the many challenges encountered to bring this procedure to clinical fruition. While the procedure  remains in its infancy the clinical application to human patients shows its potential merit to positively impact the surgical control of prostate cancer.  Early clinical experience does not allow the ability to draw definitive conclusions about the procedure at this time but the potential benefits for a new  minimally invasive inexpensive treatment for prostate cancer patients is promising.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ 85054, USA. Humphreys.mitchell@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Mitchell R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.forename: Erik P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Castle
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Andrews
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D002102:Cadaver; D003558:Cystoscopy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057605:Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D011467:Prostate / Q000601:surgery; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery