International digestive endoscopy network 2012: a patchwork of networks for the future.

This special September issue of Clinical Endoscopy will discuss various aspects of diagnostic and therapeutic advancement of gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, explaining what is new in digestive endoscopy and why international network should be organized. We proposed an integrated model of international conference based on the putative occurrence of Digestive Endoscopy Networks. In International Digestive Endoscopy Network (IDEN) 2012, role of endoscopy in gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus, endoscopy beyond submucosa, endoscopic treatment for stricture and leakage in upper GI, how to estimate the invasion depth of early GI cancers, colonoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a look into the bowel beyond colon in IBD, management of complications in therapeutic colonoscopy, revival of endoscopic papllirary balloon dilation, evaluation and tissue acquisition for indeterminate biliopancreatic stricture, updates in the evaluation of pancreatic cystic lesions, issues for tailored endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), endoluminal stents, management of upper GI bleeding, endoscopic management of frustrating situations, small bowel exploration, colorectal ESD, valuable tips for frustrating situations in colonoscopy, choosing the right stents for endoscopic stenting of biliary strictures, advanced techniques for pancreaticobiliary visualization, endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliopancreatic drainage, and how we can overcome the obstacles were deeply touched. We hope that IDEN 2012, as the very prestigious endoscopy networks, served as an opportunity to gain some clues for further understanding of endoscopic technologies and to enhance up-and-coming knowledge and their clinical implications from selected 25 peer reviewed articles and 112 invited lectures.