Introduction Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) requires several years of dedicated training and continuous refinement of knowledge and skill. Selective ductal cannulation is the sine qua non for diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP. General issues on cannulation have already been highlighted in…
Introduction Endoscopic cannulation of the major papilla with imaging of the biliary tree and the pancreatic ductal system (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography [ERCP]) was first successfully accomplished with an end-viewing duodenoscope and reported in 1968. Subsequent development of side-viewing endoscopes with…
Introduction Pancreaticobiliary endoscopy focuses on the diagnosis and therapy of conditions involving the pancreas and biliary tree, and distinguishes itself from luminal endoscopy by a greater use of side-viewing endoscopes and echoendoscopes and the use of fluoroscopy. As discussed in…
Introduction The use of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has grown over the last 30 years, and it is now a well-established diagnostic method for the assessment of a range of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, including the evaluation and staging of many types…
Introduction Over the past 15 years, the role of endoscopy in the removal of large and subepithelial lesions has expanded greatly. Whereas expertise in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been long established in Asia, the technique has become more widely…
Introduction Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is an evolving concept, combining minimally invasive surgery with flexible endoscopy, potentially representing a major paradigm shift to scarless surgery. Recently, NOTES went from few experimental reports to clinical series and multicentric studies.…
Introduction Obesity is a global epidemic, and has resulted in a substantial increase in the number of bariatric procedures performed worldwide. As the field of bariatric surgery continues to grow with the increasing prevalence of obesity, a greater number of…
Introduction Obesity is the pandemic of the 21st century and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Management of obesity depends on body mass index (BMI) and the presence of comorbidities, including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, osteoarthritis, and sleep…
Introduction Using the gut to provide nutritional therapy by the enteral route plays a pivotal role in patient outcome in the critical care setting. Failure to use the gut for nutrition results in the gut becoming a proinflammatory organ, and…
Introduction The diagnosis and management of luminal gastrointestinal (GI) tract infections has been an essential component of the practice of gastroenterology since the birth of the subspecialty. The emergence of endoscopy with mucosal biopsy as a safe and accurate diagnostic…