[Surgical surveillance and endoscopy. The problem of secondary complication and local recurrence].

Minimal access techniques in surgery are improving. At the same time, the significance of interventional flexible endoscopy is increasing. Postoperative complications can be treated endoscopically with low rates of morbidity and mortality. Anastomotic strictures after resection of the esophagus, colon or rectum are mostly treated with success by endoscopy. Reoperations are almost never necessary in these cases today. Although the efficient detection of locoregional recurrence of gastrointestinal carcinoma is still the subject of controversial discussion, in contrast, endoscopic therapy for palliation by ablation, dilatation or stenting leads to a clear benefit for many of these patients.