With consultation of Dr. Charles J. Lightdale, Consulting Editor, Dr. Poneros has created created a state-of-the-art look at endoscopy for pancreatic disease. Top authors have contributed clinical reviews in the following areas: Acute Pancreatitis: Evidence Based Management Decisions ; Endoscopic Cyst Gastrostomy; ERCP for Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis ; Autoimmune Pancreatitis; Total Pancreatectomy with Autologous Islet Cell Transplantation; Pancreatic Insufficiency: What is the Gold Standard?; Current Guideline Controversies in the Management of Pancreatic Cystic Neoplasms; How to Manage Incidentally Found Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors; Update in Celiac Block; The Use of Biomarkers in Risk Stratification of Cystic Neoplasms; Interventional EUS in the Pancreas; How to Avoid Post-ERCP Pancreatitis; and The Role of Genetic in Pancreatitis. Readers will come away with the clinical information they need to utilize endoscopic procedures in the treatment and management of pancreatic disease.

The Guest Editors have focused on methods of diagnosing and evaluating IBD to help guide optimal treatment to maximize clinical outcomes and minimize risks. Authors have provided state-of-the-art updates with practical information/guidelines/algorithms and cutting-edge data for incorporation into practice. The first set of articles deals with endoscopy: its role in diagnosis and monitoring IBD; the growing importance of chromoendoscopy in IBD surveillance exams; assessment of post-operative recurrence; and finally the emerging role of capsule endoscopy. The second section focuses on specific scenarios that IBD physicians encounter frequently: health maintenance in IBD focusing on proper vaccinations; the growing problem of Clostridium difficile in IBD; assessment of pouch problems; optimal evaluation of perianal disease; the state of the art in using thiopurines including use of allopurinol to optimize metabolites and optimizing the use of infliximab by measuring levels and antibodies to infliximab; factors to consider in choosing monotherapy versus combination therapy and communication of risk/benefit to patients; and finally disability assessment in IBD. The third and final section highlights noninvasive methods to evaluate IBD: clinical predictors of aggressive or disabling disease; the evolving role of specific antibodies in diagnosing, subtyping and most recently prognosticating in IBD; stool markers (calproctectin and lactoferrin) for evaluating and monitoring IBD; the growing role of imaging modalities with emphasis on MR enterography and CT enterography; and finally, the genetics of IBD and the potential role of genetic testing in the diagnosis/prognosis and tailoring of therapy.

In consultation with Dr. Charles Lightdale, Dr. Cai has assembled a list of articles devoted to gastroparesis with the most current and clinically relevant content. Dr. Cai invited top experts from well-known institutions to contribute reviews on the following topics: Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Gastroparesis; Diabetic Gastroparesis and 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; and Outcomes of Per Oral Endoscopic Pyloromyotomy in the United States. Readers will come away with the most current clinical information they need to inform clinical decisions to improve patient outcomes.

This issue details the latest knowledge of early diagnosis, risk factors, limited surgical treatments, and novel therapies for pancreatic diseases. Clinicians will learn the most prognostic scoring systems for acute pancreatitis, review the basics for early management of the disease, and see how current practice guidelines have evolved. Advances in radiological imaging when applied to the pancreas have resulted in enhanced staging and improved selection for surgical intervention. Endoscopy of the pancreas via both ERCP and endoscopic ultrasound has led to unprecedented access and potential for non-operative intervention. Pancreatic surgery now takes advantage of both minimally invasive approaches and techniques learned from organ transplantation. These latest advances are addressed in this issue by key opinion leaders.

In this issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Clinics of North America, guest editors Drs. D. Nageshwar Reddy and Rupjyoti Talukdar bring their considerable expertise to the topic of Updates in Pancreatic Endotherapy. Leaders in the field highlight the evolution of pancreatic endotherapy and its progression to current procedures, covering the techniques, utility, and evidence-based efficacy of these procedures in daily practice.In this issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Clinics of North America, guest editors Drs. D. Nageshwar Reddy and Rupjyoti Talukdar bring their considerable expertise to the topic of Updates in Pancreatic Endotherapy. Leaders in the field highlight the evolution of pancreatic endotherapy and its progression to current procedures, covering the techniques, utility, and evidence-based efficacy of these procedures in daily practice.

Dr. Kahaleh's expertise as the Chief of Advanced Endoscopy at Weill Cornell Medical Center has allowed him to gather top experts to write state-of-the art reviews devoted to therapeutic ERCP. Articles address therapeutic ERCP and instrumentation; advanced cannulation technique and precut; stone burden in the bile and pancreatic duct; the available platforms for choledochopancreatoscopy; ERCP and Biliary Imaging; ERCP for sampling and tissues acquisition; ERCP and Intraductal ablation therapies; ERCP for distal malignant stricture; management of benign biliary stricture; treatment of common bile duct injuries after surgery; EUS guided ERCP; prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis, and legal Matters related to ERCP.

Dr. Van Dam is an internationally recognized leader in gastroenterology and has been a leader in advances in intervedntional endoscopy. He brings this expertise to the topic of management of benign and malignant pancreatic disease and has selected top experts in the field to provide state-of-the-art clinical information to gastroenterologists. The modern management treatise of each article addresses current diagnostics as well as medical management. Seven articles are devoted to pancreatic cancer and span medical management, surgial mangament, radiologic imaging, endoscopic diagnosis, palliation, and screening. Other important topics addressed are pancreatic transplantation, pancreatic cystic neoplasms, acute and chronic pancreatitis, and autoimmune pancreatitis.

Dr. Van Dam is one of key leaders in the field of diagnostic endoscopy, and he has enlisted authors who are top experts in their fields to submit state-of-the-art clinical reviews on endoscopy and biliary tract disease. Articles are devoted to infections, choledoscopy, common bile duct stones, benign and malignant bile duct strictures, motility disorders, and EUS access and drainage of the common bile duct. Attention is also given to patients with bile duct injury, congenital anomalies, and to liver transplant patients. Readers will come away with a full overview of endoscopy and the patient with biliary tract disease.

Dr. Charles Lightdale selected top expert Dr. Charles Lichtiger to serve as Guest Editor for this issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Clinics devoted to Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The issue uniquely addresses the questions that arise when trying to treat and diagnose IBD. Further, it provides information on what the future might look like for endoscopists. Articles are devoted to the following topics: The Era of Anti-TNF’s is Over: What do we know, don’t know, and yearn to know; Prognostigating the Course of IBD- Is it an art or Science; Treat to Target: What is Target and How do we Treat; The Microbiota and the Immune Response: What is the Chicken and What is the Egg; The Role of the Radiologist in Determining Disease Severity; Capsule Endoscopy and Small Bowel Enteroscopy: Have they Rendered the Radiologist Obsolete; Dysplasia Surveillance; Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection: Are We Transitioning to it; Strictures in Crohn’s Diagnosis and UC: Is there a role for the gastroenterologist, endoscopist, or is it always the surgeon; Endoscopy in the Postoperative Patient with CD or UC: Does it Translate to better Outcomes; The Role of Histology in Determining Disease Activity, Treatment, and Prognosis: Are we there yet; Perianal Disease: The role of Endoscopy, EUS, EUA, Laser Therapy, Sealing Agents, and Stem Cells; Imaging of Mucosal Inflammation: Current Developments and Future Perspectives for IBD; Surgery in IBD: Is there any need for Open Procedures. Readers will come away with a state-of-the-art understanding about the current and future clinical picture for endoscopy in IBD.

Top expert Dr. Jacques Van Dam has compiled the most current clinical reviews on lumen-apposing stents, an important emerging field in interventional endoscopy that can substitute for more invasive surgeries. Authors have addressed the following topics in this issue: Fluid collections and pseudocysts as a complication of acute pancreatitis; Surgical management of pancreatic pseudocysts; Evolution of EUS-guided cyst gastrostomy; EUS-guided drainage of pancreatic fluid collections; EUS-guided biliary drainage as an alternative to ERCP; EUS-guided gallbladder drainage; Novel uses of LAMS; Lumen-apposing stents: Which one and why; Safety of LAMS; Endoscopic closure of fistuli; and How the experts do it: Step-by-step guide. Readers will come away with the knowledge they need to incorporate the use of LAMs in their clinical repertoire.