There has been incredible progress over the last decade in therapeutic endoscopy. Such therapies are either easier now than ten years ago or are possible when previously they were inconceivable. These advances have depended upon major improvements in diagnostic endoscopy for different subspecialties. Simultaneously, a major innovation for therapeutics through endoscopes is the application of medical lasers. This book is written by renowned biophysicists and laser endoscopists of different sub specialties where the application of lasers has revolutionized medical care. In some cases treatments which were not previously possible are now routine. Laser palliation of obstructing tumors in different sub specialties is an example of this. In other cases, resective surgery is obviated by the application of lasers via endoscopy such as for the control of gastrointestinal bleeding. The authors of different medical or surgical subspecialties which use endoscopic lasers write about the pathology and clinical problems, their personal experience and results. However, they also emphasize their techniques of laser endoscopy through case examples, technical discussions, and colored illustrations. Their discussions will give the reader a better understanding about the role of laser treatment of different conditions compared to routine medical or surgical therapy. In several instances, randomized controlled trials involving medical lasers were discussed in this book because they fundamentally changed our understanding of common problems such as upper gastrointestinal bleeding. We predict continued progress in therapeutic endoscopy.

Inhalt

1. Fundamentals of Lasers for Endoscopy and Laser Tissue Interactions.- 2. Optic Fibers for Laser Therapeutic Endoscopy.- 3. Multidisciplinary Approach to Medical Laser Use.- 4. Laser Surgical Unit Organization.- 5. GI Endoscopic Hemostasis and Tumor Treatment - Experimental Results and Techniques.- 6. Upper Gastrointestinal Angiomata: Diagnosis and Treatment.- 7. Laser Treatment for Vascular Malformations of the Digestive Tract.- 8. Techniques of Hemostasis for Lower GI Bleeding.- 9. Ten Years Endoscopic Neodymium-YAG Laser Coagulation in Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage.- 10. Argon Laser for Severe Ulcer Hemorrhage: Health and Economic Considerations.- 11. Results, Complications and Techniques of Laser Treatment for Bleeding Peptic Ulcers: Conclusions and Recommendations After Two Controlled Trials.- 12. Endoscopic Nd:YAG Laser Therapy for Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.- 13. Cancer in the Esophagus: Principles of Laser Treatment.- 14. Endoscopic Treatment of Upper Gastrointestinal Tumors.- 15. Palliative Treatment for Esophagogastric Cancer by Laser Photoablation.- 16. Lasers in Rectosigmoid Tumors.- 17. Complications of Gastrointestinal Laser Endoscopy.- 18. Laser Bronchoscopy: An American Experience.- 19. Neodymium-YAG-Laser Treatment of Benign and Malignant Tracheo-Bronchial Lesions.- 20. The Neodymium-YAG Laser in Urology.- 21. Endoscopic Laser Surgery in Urology: The American Experience.- 22. Argon Laser in Urology.- 23. Gynecological Application of Laser Endoscopy.- 24. Photodynamic Therapy: Basic Aspects and Tissue Interaction.- 25. Photodynamic Therapy in Early Stage Carcinoma.