Endoscopic Recanalization Procedures

This chapter presents the various endoscopic techniques for restoring or maintaining patency in the endoluminal gastrointestinal tract. In addition to a vivid description of the procedures, a brief overview of the respective indications and clinical results will be given. Both achalasia and Zenker’s diverticulum and subepithelial tumors can represent a passage disorder with partially pronounced dysphagia and mechanical obstruction, thus these endoscopically demanding techniques are also discussed. Due to their important significance regarding the prognosis and recurrence rate of endoluminal tumors and thus the maintenance of patency in the various sections of the GI tract, ablative procedures (APC/Laser) are also cursorily described.