title: Analysis of the First 217 Appendectomies of the German NOTES Registry.
abstract: To analyze the feasibility and safety of Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) appendectomy, and to analyze separately the transvaginal appendectomy (TVAE) and the transgastric appendectomy (TGAE) procedures.
  
  
  
  Laparoscopic appendectomy has rare but relevant complications, namely incisional hernias and neuralgia at the trocar sites, which can potentially be avoided by the NOTES techniques.
  
  
  
  The first 217 data sets of the largest NOTES registry worldwide-the German NOTES registry-were analyzed with respect to demographic data, procedural data, and short-term outcomes. Furthermore, TVAEs were compared with TGAEs.
  
  
  
  Almost all procedures were performed in hybrid technique (median of percutaneous trocars: 1). Median age (TVAE: 30.5 yrs vs TGAE: 25 yrs; P < 0.017), body mass index (TVAE: 22.8 kg/m vs TGAE: 24.1 kg/m; P < 0.016), and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification (I/II/III; TVAE: 57.1%/41.8%/1.0% vs TGAE: 27.8%/69.4%/2.8%; P < 0.003) significantly differed between both access techniques. Whereas the median number of percutaneous trocars (TVAE: 1 vs TGAE: 1; P < 0.450), the need of additional trocars (TVAE: 6.6% vs TGAE: 13.9%; P < 0.156), the intra, and also postoperative rate of complications (TVAE: 0%/5.5% vs TGAE: 0%/11.1%; P < 1.000/0.258), and the median postoperative hospital stay (TVAE: 3 d vs TGAE: 3 d; P < 0.152) were comparable; the median procedural time (TVAE: 35 minutes vs TGAE: 96 minutes; P < 0.001) and conversion to laparotomy rate (TVAE: 0% vs TGAE: 5.6%; P < 0.023) were significantly less after TVAE.
  
  
  
  The evaluation of the largest patient collective so far indicates that hybrid NOTES appendectomy is a safe procedure, with advantages for the transvaginal technique with respect to procedural time and conversion rate.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Abdominal, Vascular and Transplant Surgery, Cologne-Merheim Medical Center (CMMC), Witten/Herdecke University, Cologne, Germany †Central Interdisciplinary Endoscopy, University Medical Center Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany ‡Surgical Department, University Medical Center Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany §Department of Surgery, Krankenhaus Bietigheim, Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany ¶Department of Surgery, Evangelisch-Freikirchliches Krankenhaus Rüdersdorf, Rüdersdorf, Germany ||Department of Visceral and Vascular Surgery, HELIOS Klinikum Aue, Germany **Department of Diagnostic und Interventional Endoscopy, Klinikum Suedstadt, Rostock, Germany ††German Society for General and Visceral Surgery, Berlin, Germany ‡‡Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Charité University Medical Center Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Bulian
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaehler
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Magdeburg
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Butters
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burghardt
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: Joern
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernhardt
authors.forename: Markus M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Heiss
authors.forename: Heinz J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Buhr
authors.forename: Kai S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lehmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D061887:Conversion to Open Surgery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019723:Endoscopes; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D057605:Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013270:Stomach; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014621:Vagina; D055815:Young Adult