H. Goebell – författare

In recent years functional gastrointestinal disorders have attracted much interest. These disorders are extremely common. They are characterized by symptoms and the lack of structural lesions that can be identified with clinically available routine diagnostic tests. Several functional abnormalities are now believed to play a role in the development of the symptoms. This book summarizes the presentations at the International Falk Symposium No. 99 `Functional Dyspepsia and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Concepts and Controversies' that took place on May 27-28, 1997. This symposium brought together clinical and basic researchers and clinicians to improve interdisciplinary communication. The meeting comprehensively covered basic and clinical aspects of these disorders, and it not only summarized the current knowledge, but also identified scientific questions that need to be addressed in the future.

In May 1975 more than 50 scientists - research workers and clinician- from 12 countries spent three days at Titisee in the Black Forest discussing problems relating to lipid absorption and ways of promoting closer liaison in the field. In this book all the papers presented at this symposium are published in full, together with the ensuing discussions. We should all like to thank Dr Falk for his generous sponsorship of this meeting which enabled us to work in such a charming atmosphere. We should also like to thank the authors and the other participants for the rapid preparation and correction of their manuscripts, and the publishers for their cooperation and assistance in preparing this book. We believe it repre­ sents a wide-ranging survey of existing knowledge of lipid absorption which will, we trust, provide a real stimulus for further research and new ideas in the study of this subject.