title: Magnetic instrumentation and other applications of magnets in NOTES.
abstract: Modern surgery is developing towards a minimally invasive approach. To minimize the trauma the number of ports is either limited as in single incision laparoscopic procedures or ports are introduced through natural orifices as in natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). To provide surgeons with appropriate instrumentation novel technologies are employed involving magnets. This article summarizes the theoretical background, technology and currently developed magnetic instrumentation for NOTES, laparoscopic surgery and endoscopy. Moreover, current limitations and future goals are addressed to outline the prospects for use of magnetic instrumentation in the surgery of tomorrow.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Jarek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kobiela
authors.forename: Szymon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grymek
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wojanowska
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lubniewski
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Makarewicz
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dobrowolski
authors.forename: Andrzej J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lachiński
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sledziński