Therapeutic Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

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Abstract
DEVELOPMENTS in flexible endoscopy have had an enormous effect on the management of many gastrointestinal, biliary, and pancreatic diseases during the past two decades.1 Diagnostic endoscopy has largely superseded barium radiology, and endoscopically applied therapy is increasingly replacing orthodox surgery in many clinical contexts. Virtually all this change has been by consensus, without the benefit of strict proof by conventional clinical trials. In some instances, the trend toward greater use of endoscopy has continued even in the face of negative trial results. About 10 years ago many physicians questioned the already widespread use of early endoscopy in patients with hematemesis, . . .