©The Author(s) 2015. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Endosc. Jul 10, 2015; 7(8): 758-768
Published online Jul 10, 2015. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v7.i8.758
Published online Jul 10, 2015. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v7.i8.758
Comprehensive management of full-thickness luminal defects: The next frontier of gastrointestinal endoscopy
Joshua S Winder, Eric M Pauli, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA 17036, United States
Author contributions: Winder JS and Pauli EM wrote the editorial in its entirety and contributed equally to its composition.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Winder JS has no financial affiliations to disclose; Pauli EM has received honoraria from Cook Biotech for speaking and consulting.
Correspondence to: Eric M Pauli, MD, Assistant Professor, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, 500 University Drive, H149, Hershey, PA 17033, United States. epauli@hmc.psu.edu
Telephone: +1-717-5317462 Fax: +1-717-5314729
Received: January 29, 2015
Peer-review started: January 29, 2015
First decision: March 6, 2015
Revised: March 26, 2015
Accepted: May 5, 2015
Article in press: May 8, 2015
Published online: July 10, 2015
Processing time: 166 Days and 12.4 Hours
Peer-review started: January 29, 2015
First decision: March 6, 2015
Revised: March 26, 2015
Accepted: May 5, 2015
Article in press: May 8, 2015
Published online: July 10, 2015
Processing time: 166 Days and 12.4 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Endoscopic methods are replacing surgical options as the first line therapy for a wide array of gastrointestinal tract defects. Here we will review the available endoscopic modalities, their appropriate applications and their respective success rates. The fusion of standard surgical principles with flexible, intra-luminal modalities is likely to be the key to the successful endoscopic management of these challenging clinical problems.