In Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) a flexible endoscope is passed through a natural orifice of the body and intra-abdominal procedures can be performed through a transvisceral (transgastric, -colonic, -vaginal or -vesical) incision. Principally, this state-of-the-art technology decreases invasiveness and postoperative pain, prevents postoperative hernia formation and improves cosmetic results. However, numerous questions regarding the technique are unanswered yet. Further research is necessary to extend the armamentarium of minimally invasive surgery. This article reviews the current state of experimental results and clinical approaches of NOTES.