H.-J. Schulz - Böcker

This book, the proceedings of Falk Symposium 152 “Endoscopy 2006 – Update and Live Demonstration”, held in Berlin, Germany, 4--5 May 2006 as part of the Intestinal Disease Meeting, provides an update on the entire spectrum of gastrointestinal endoscopy and its interface with gastroenterology as well as other disciplines. Endoscopy plays a pivotal role in gastroenterology and, vice versa, is crucially dependent on new developments and inventions in gastroenterology and basic sciences as well as technical progress.The first section deals with the most relevant new technologies including conventional and novel endoscopic imaging as well as new developments in therapeutic gastrointestinal endoscopy, pancreatobiliary endoscopy and ultrasound. The second part highlights the role of endoscopy in special areas, e.g. inflammatory bowel syndrome or pediatrics. Therapeutic endoscopy of biliary and pancreatic diseases is often difficult and involves risks. The third section contains papers on hilar tumors and chronic pancreatitis.Prevention and adequate management of complications is the topic of the final section. It is important to maintain high standards in interventional endoscopy. Complications can arise when patients are sedated, which is mostly the routine in daily endoscopic practice; during dilatation of gastrointestinal strictures perforations can occur or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography may result in post-interventional pancreatitis.

Clinical and pathogenetic aspects of intestinal disorders have recently become of greater interest, partly due to the increasing incidence of intestinal disorders. However, our expanded knowledge, brought about by developing molecular biological sciences, provokes the need for more frequent discussion. Nowadays a wider range of diagnostic tools is available. Beside more sophisticated laboratory methods, the development of modern radiological techniques has opened new dimensions to diagnostic measurement. At the same time therapeutic methods have undergone numerous changes. New aspects are provided by biological therapies and the changing role of conventional medication, which may raise new questions.This book is the proceedings of Falk Symposium 164 entitled ‘Intestinal Disorders’, held in Budapest, Hungary, on 2–3 May 2008. It contains articles on the most important topics written by the most recognized specialists. Discussion of different opinions provided additional information about recent aspects of upcoming questions. The scientific data is completed by the knowledge obtained in the course of a live endoscopy demonstration.