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Endoscopy

NOTES reveals obscure origin of ascites

Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology volume 11, page 396 (2014)Cite this article

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A new study by Bai et al. has found that transgastric NOTES (natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery), in combination with biopsy, provided a diagnosis in 92.3% of patients with ascites of unknown origin, for which previous attempts fell short of a clear diagnosis.

NOTES is a minimally invasive technique that aims to reduce surgical trauma by using natural orifices rather than external incisions to gain access to the peritoneal cavity. In the past few years NOTES has transitioned from the laboratory to the clinic. Ascites can be evaluated using many tools, including imaging techniques and laboratory tests. Despite the array of assessment methods available, a proportion of patients are unable to receive a clear diagnosis of the underlying cause of their ascites. Bai and colleagues decided to investigate whether NOTES could be advantageous in this clinical setting.

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References

  1. Bai, Y. et al. Role of transgastric natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery in the diagnosis of ascites of unknown origin (with videos). Gastrointest. Endosc. 10.1016/j.gie.2014.03.025

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  1. Gillian Patman
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Patman, G. NOTES reveals obscure origin of ascites. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 11, 396 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2014.84

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2014.84

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