In recent years, gastrointestinal endoscopy has evolved and branched out from a
primary naked-eye diagnostic technique to a multitude of sophisticated
investigative and therapeutic procedures. While many of the new endoscopic
techniques are currently too complex or expensive to make it to mainstream
clinical practice, others are already bringing major progress to the management
of digestive diseases. In this review we will discuss a selected group of the
emerging techniques and technologies used to increase the diagnostic yield in the
colon and small intestine, including Third Eye® Retroscopes®, colon capsule
endoscopy, spiral enteroscopy and confocal laser endomicroscopy. We will also
discuss over-the-scope clip devices, a relatively simple and inexpensive tool
potentially capable of noninvasive closing intestinal perforations and allowing
the removal of infiltrating tumors.
