Endoscopic therapy for bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract

Preview

The evolution of endoscopy from a purely diagnostic tool to a therapeutic weapon has dramatically altered the approach to several serious gastrointestinal problems. Careful scrutiny of outcomes, complications, and costs may be forgotten in the rush to apply this weapon, and largely unproven procedures may become standards of care. Case series, rather than controlled trials, become the basis for decision making. Dr Lieberman reviews advances in endoscopic management of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding and highlights some areas of controversy.