title: LESS and NOTES: rationale and terminology.
abstract: Laparoendoscopic single site surgery (LESS) and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) are  emerging platforms to further reduce the invasive profile of surgery. As feasibility of an increasing array of  procedures in both platforms is being demonstrated, with out comes comparable to multiport laparoscopy, there has been a parallel proliferation  of concepts, terminology and technology. In this article, we describe the rationale behind the evolving paradigm shift towards truly "scarless" surgery and  address the terminology associated with these surgical approaches.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urologic Surgery, The University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Wesley M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Ryan B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Pickens
authors.forename: Wassim M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Bazzi
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Raheem
authors.forename: Ithaar H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Derweesh
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D057605:Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends