In consultation with Dr. Charles Lightdale, Dr. DiMaio has assembled a list of articles devoted to endoscopy in hepatology with the most current and clinically relevant content. Dr. DiMaio invited top experts from well-known institutions to contribute reviews on the following topics: EUS in the evaluation of unexplained biliary dilation and liver function test abnormalities; EUS-guided liver biopsy; Advances in endoscopic imaging of the biliary tree; Expert evaluation of indeterminate biliary strictures; Stenting for benign and malignant biliary strictures; Endoscopic management of biliary issues in the liver transplant patient; Endoscopic management of complex biliary stone disease; EUS-guided biliary drainage; ERCP and EUS-guided drainage of the gallbladder; EUS-guided interventions for the measurement and treatment of portal hypertension; Endoscopic management of portal hypertension-related bleeding; EUS for diagnosis and staging of liver tumors; ERCP-guided ablation for cholangiocarcinoma; and EUS-guided ablation of liver tumors. Readers will come away with the most current clinical information they need to improve outcomes in patients with liver disease.

Optimizing Endoscopic Operations, An Issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Clinics

In this issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Clinics of North America, we invited pioneers and experts in this field to share recent advancements and expansions of ESD and its technical aspects in different organ systems. In addition, this issue covers the associated techniques of per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) to further advance understanding of the latest breakthroughs in endoscopic therapy. Current trends surrounding ESD around the world—in Asia, Europe, and the United States—are addressed as well. Some articles include videos for readers to watch ESD procedures in action, performed by experts, for easier understanding of ESD techniques. The Guest Editors expect that this issue will inspire more physicians to explore the expanding possibilities of endoscopic therapy such as ESD and POEM and to advocate minimally invasive treatment for patients.

Together with Consulting Editor Dr. Charles Lightdale, Dr. Qiang Cai has put together a comprehensive issue devoted to gastroparesis. Expert authors have contributed clinical review articles on the following topics: Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Gastroparesis; Non-Diabetic Gastroparesis; Clinical Manifestations and Natural History of Patients with Gastroparesis; Evaluation of Patients with Suspected Gastroparesis; Symptomatic Management of Gastroparesis; Gastric Electrical Stimulator for treatment of Gastroparesis; Surgical Treatment for Gastroparesis; Botulinum Toxin Injection for Treatment of Gastroparesis; Stent Placement for Treatment for Gastroparesis; Technical Aspects of Per Oral Endoscopic Pyloromyotomy; Gastric Emptying Scintigraphy for Evaluation of Patients with Gastroparesis before Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy; Outcomes of Per Oral Endoscopic Pyrolomyotomy in France; Outcomes of Per Oral Endoscopic Pyloromyotomy in China; Outcomes of Per Oral Endoscopic Pyloromyotomy in the United States.. Readers will come away with the information they need to improve endoscopic techniques and improve patient outcomes.

Endoscopic access to the small bowel has advanced significantly since the introduction of video capsule endoscopy and deep enteroscopy in early 2000. Other major advances have occurred in imaging modalities involving computed tomography and magnetic resonance studies. Due to these advances, the recent 2015 ACG guideline changed the terminology from “obscure to “small bowel bleeding because the majority of cases now can be found to have a small bowel source. The improvements in technology have advanced our ability to visualized vascular findings, inflammatory lesions, and small bowel neoplasms. Articles in this issue are devoted to these improvements in technology.

The topics covered in this issue, an update from what was first published in the Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Clinics in 2008, reflect the fact that NOTES is seeing a resurgence in popularity. Now, eight years later, there is more data to confirm safety, to look at the best options for using natural orifices, and to talk about optimal training scenarios. The Guest Editor has enlisted some of the top experts on NOTES to contribute articles devoted to Seminal Developments: SM Tunnel Technique; Peroral Endoscopic Myotomoy (POEM); Submucosal Tumor Endoscopic Resection; Endoscopic Full Thickness Resection; Submucosal Tunneling for NOTES Procedures Beyond Resection; Pyloromyotomy; New NOTES: Western Perspective; and Why Did the Old NOTES Fail: Lessons Learned that can Guide New NOTES Development.

This issue presents a concise clinical overview on the most current knowledge on advanced imaging modalities. Dr. Ananadasabapathy has secured internationally recognized authors to write articles on endomicoscopy, molecular imagaing, optical coherence tomography, and chromoendoscopy. Articles are also devoted to imaging the biliary tree and red flag technologies in gastric neoplasia.