Most advances have come from collaborations of gastroenterologists and gastrointestinal surgeons with scientists and engineers in academia and industry. Advances have encompassed not only the endoscopes, but a variety of ingenious devices and techniques to facilitate endoscopic diagnosis and therapy. The transition from a diagnostic method to one with multiple therapeutic indications has been the most striking achievement of modern gastrointestinal endoscopy.

The anonymous ancient Roman quotation is appropriate here: Tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis. “Times change, and we change with them.” Gastrointestinal endoscopists must be in a constant state of attention to change, and must be ready to adapt. Dr Manoop S Bhutani and Dr Rakesh K Tandon have provided great assistance with this superb book. It is a comprehensive compilation of recent progress in instruments and techniques. They have assembled an international group of expert authors in a very thorough presentation. GI endoscopists can stride more boldly into the new millennium holding this book under their arms—up to date on the latest advances and ready for the progress yet to come.

This was the belief of Thomas Alva Edison in 1879 as recalled by Sir William Osler who met Edison after he had demonstrated his newly created incandescent bulb. The effort which started as a timid intrusion into the body has metamorphosed into a proactive, vastly intimidating science. Endoscopy is no more a mere appendage of the gastroenterologist. It represents the interface between gastroenterology and bioengineering. Triumphs of man over nature have been the result of technological upswings and the field of endoscopy has not lagged behind in this revolution. The various elegant new instruments, brilliant concepts and techniques available now are a veritable treasureman's trove. Achieving procedural success in endoscopy is like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack if one is not armed with indepth information about the latest innovations and techniques.

The goal of this book is to address changing needs and evolving technologies in the field of endoscopy. The past decades have witnessed new developments not only in our understanding of complex gastrointestinal disorders but also new therapeutic modalities that are becoming state of the art in management. Because of important advances in the last two decades, we believe this is an opportune time to compile this work. It is designed to meet the needs of practicing endoscopists, educators and gastroenterologists in training. This book should serve as a coherent teaching text and as a reference source. The book includes personal experiences and viewpoints although care has been taken to be comprehensive and objective in the treatment of the subject. Hence in compilation of this work personal opinion of the contributors has been added to the cumulative experience of our predecessors and peers so that for our colleagues and successors, an orderly description of advances in endoscopy is available.

We have been fortunate in assembling a distinguished team of contributors and it is a pleasure to acknowledge and thank them for their involvement. Our sincere thanks also goes to the publisher M/s Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd for their support. We also sincerely acknowledge the never ending support from our families as they allowed us to spend countless hours on this project.

The ABC of this treatise has been Accuracy, Brevity and Clarity while treating individual topics. This book has been divided into seven sections, encompassing all facets of the science of endoscopy. is on Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy with chapters on Photodynamic Therapy, Endoscopic Mucosal Resection and Sewing and Stitching using Endoscopes. covers Enteroscopy and provides updated information on Pancreaticobiliary Endoscopy. deals exclusively with Endoscopic Ultrasonography. Interventional 12endosonography is currently perhaps the most exciting frontier of endoscopy. Innovations in Colonoscopy have been discussed in including Chromoendoscopy and 3D Electromagnetic Imaging associated Colonoscopy. is on Laparoscopy, a domain of the endoscopist as well as the surgeon. has been devoted to scintillating developments in imaging modalities which may well change the face of endoscopy in coming years. also deals with ancillary services like disinfection of endoscopes and training requirements for the endoscopist. This work is also meant to symbolize the coming together of endoscopic innovations from around the globe as a collective effort for progress.

Techniques abound in plenty and keeping abreast with them remains a challenge. Nothing can be more appropriate than WI Beveridge's comment: Elaborate apparatus plays an important part in the science of today but I sometimes wonder if we are not inclined to forget that the most important instrument in research must always be the mind of man.