Transanal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) rectal resection: “down-to-up” total mesorectal excision (TME)—short-term outcomes in the first 20 cases

Background The transanal minilaparoscopy-assisted natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) approach holds significant promise as a safe and less morbid alternative to conventional low anterior rectal resection. Previous reports have shown satisfactory short-term oncologic results. We evaluated the safety and short-term outcomes in rectal cancer subjects who underwent transanal minilaparoscopy-assisted natural orifice surgery total mesorectal excision (TME) rectal resection.