Surgery without Scars A joint initiative supported by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)

Dallas, TX, April 21, 2006 — It is unique in medicine to see a true paradigm shift that significantly changes patient management. It is possible that we are on the verge of another paradigm shift - Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES).
SAGES and ASGE are working together to develop a new method of surgery performed without skin incisions. The natural orifices may provide the entry point for surgical interventions in the peritoneal cavity, thereby avoiding abdominal wall incisions.

To address this emerging technology, a working group consisting of expert laparoscopic surgeons from the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and a group of expert interventional endoscopists representing the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) came together for a meeting in New York City in July 2005 and again in Scottsdale, Arizona in March 2006.

Although the Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery approach may hold tremendous potential, there are many issues that need to be addressed before this technique is introduced into clinical care, not the least of which is the issue of building skill sets required to perform these procedures. It is anticipated that the skill sets needed will be a hybrid that includes laparoscopic skills as well as advanced flexible endoscopic skills.
SAGES and ASGE have taken the lead to ensure that NOTES is developed in a safe and responsible manner. A NOTES White Paper was written and published by SAGES and ASGE to represent a cooperative effort to ensure that this cutting edge technology is developed with the safety of the patient in mind. A web site was also created to help update the medical community and the public on the advances of Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery – please visit www.noscar.org for more information and a copy of the NOTES White Paper.

The 2006 SAGES Annual Meeting will be held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas, April 26-29, 2006 and will include three components dedicated to the evaluation and advancement of Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery. For more information about the SAGES Annual meeting please visit the SAGES web site www.sages.org.

More than two decades ago a group of pioneering surgeons formed a new surgical society to address the need for education, guidelines, and research in endoscopy. They embraced emerging technology and new techniques on behalf of their patients. That group of 50 surgeons known as SAGES held their first meeting in Williamsburg in 1986 with 110 attendees and 11 exhibitors. SAGES now boasts over 5,000 members. The organization hosted more than 1,800 surgeon registrants at its last meeting. For more information, please visit www.sages.org.

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