Diagnostic and interventional endoscopy has made rapid progress in recent years. Several methods are still under development and need to be properly evaluated. Bile duct diseases may have a negative impact on the liver, so early diagnosis and minimal invasive treatment options are important. Liver transplantation is now established for the treatment of liver failure. Hepatic surgery may lead to problems in the bile ducts which can be treated by endoscopic intervention. A broad spectrum of indications for interventional endoscopy in hepatology exists.
This book, the proceedings of Falk Symposium No. 116, held in Basel, Switzerland, October 25 1999 (Part III of the Basel Liver Week 1999), describes the state of the art and new developments in endoscopy for these treatments, and contains chapters by well-known experts from all over the world.