Repeat Vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery: A First Feasibility Study

Vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) is an emerging minimally invasive technique in benign gynaecologic surgery whereby surgical access to the peritoneal cavity is achieved through natural orifices, namely through a vaginal colpotomy. Experience in repeat vNOTES cases is limited and so far, repeat vNOTES cases have not been described in the literature. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of vNOTES hysterectomy in women with a history of previous vNOTES adnexal surgery.

We performed a retrospective cohort study of the first 11 repeat vNOTES cases in our centre. All vNOTES procedures, primary adnexal surgery as well as repeat vNOTES hysterectomy, were performed by one surgeon (J.B.). Materials, Setting, Methods: Between March 2016 and May 2020, 11 patients underwent a vNOTES hysterectomy after prior vNOTES adnexectomy or cystectomy in Imelda Hospital, Bonheiden, Belgium. Relevant patient characteristics and outcome data were collected after written informed consent.

Median age was 49 years (range 44-65) at the moment of the first vNOTES procedure. Two patients had one or more caesarean sections in history, and 2 women were nulliparous. Median interval between primary and repeat vNOTES procedure was 15 months (range 0.8-37 months). All patients underwent a vaginally assisted NOTES hysterectomy (VANH) as repeat vNOTES procedure. Performing a colpotomy and entering the peritoneal cavity after prior vNOTES was technically feasible in all cases. All VANHs were successfully performed. There were 3 minor complications after repeat vNOTES, of which one was anaesthesia-related. The 2 complications associated with the surgical procedure were both cystitis. In one of these 2 patients, there were high post-void residues, which were easily managed by bladder training. There were no conversions to laparoscopy or laparotomy, neither serious nor life-threatening complications. No ureteric, bladder, or intestinal injuries have occurred.

The retrospective design and small sample size are the main limitations of this study. Moreover, the follow-up period of the most recently operated patients was too short to draw conclusions on long-term outcomes, including sexual function.

In all patients in this case series, vNOTES hysterectomy after prior vNOTES adnexal surgery was successfully performed. Large-scale prospective trials with long-term follow-up are needed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of multiple consecutive vNOTES procedures in 1 patient.