Therapeutic pancreatic endoscopy

Although the common indications for therapeutic pancreatic endoscopy – management of ductal strictures and calculi – have remained constants, the last decade has witnessed the emergence of several new endoscopic techniques for managing pancreatic disorders. While many of the advances in therapeutic pancreatic endoscopy have paralleled the shift of endoscopic ultrasound from a purely diagnostic to therapeutic modality, other new techniques are simply modifications on existing procedures. Despite these exciting times in therapeutic endoscopy, it is important to recognize that the endoscopist is one part of an interdisciplinary team of experts – a model which is essential in the successful management of patients with pancreatic disorders.