Researchers at Samsung Medical Center have introduced vNOTES surgery, also known as transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery.

vNOTES is a gynecological surgical procedure that goes through the female genitalia instead of incising the skin during laparoscopic surgery. It is a non-scarring laparoscopic procedure for gynecological diseases.

“In recent years, the method has received attention from academia as it is relatively easy to operate compared to existing methods such as single-port laparoscopy,” the hospital said. “Also, patients are less likely to be infected and can be discharged one or two days after surgery.”

Unlike laparoscopic surgery, however, it is difficult to exclude other stomach organs from the visual field, so the risk of harming adjacent organs is present, the hospital added.

According to Professor Kim Tae-jung, one of the physicians actively performing the surgery at SMC, patients receiving vNOTES are mainly those with vaginal delivery experience that requires uterine or ovarian fallopian tubes and pelvic lymphadenectomy.

Professor Kim and his team have started a prospective study to identify patients eligible for vNOTES surgery more precisely.

The team also plans to conduct a study comparing the treatment results with the widely used single-port laparoscopic surgery and vNOTES.

“Despite its many advantages, V-Notes is at a beginning stage in Korea,” Professor Kim said. “We will do our best to conduct thorough research of the method so that we can position it as a new operation.”

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