I am truly honored to be selected to serve as the guest editor for this special edition titled, The Advances in Therapeutic Endoscopy and Biliary Intervention, on behalf of the Gastrointestinal Intervention. When I was invited to serve this prestigious journal, I felt the weight of the task as much as the excitement that ran through me quickly. As there has been a plethora of new developments in the diagnostic and therapeutic armamentaria in managing biliary and pancreatic diseases, I chose the theme of endoscopic and/or interventional (radiology) advances in the pancreaticobiliary area. After much deliberation, I handpicked the authors, who are the leaders in the therapeutic endoscopy and interventional radiology today, many of whom you can easily recognize. The invited authors graciously contributed to the edition sharing their insights, struggles, and personal experiences over in-depth review articles.

Some of the articles featured in this edition include the topics of how best to perform endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in surgically altered anatomy, the emerging role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biliary drainage, recent developments in EUS-guided diagnosis and therapy of pancreatic cystic neoplasm, how to manage the conundrums of chronic pancreatitis, techniques in reducing risks in ERCP complications, and percutaneous intervention for bilioenteric anastomotic strictures comprising current strategies and future directions.

Through this edition, I was hoping we would be able to provide excellent reviews on various topics, examine controversial approaches in therapy, propose new techniques, and provoke new lines of research. The contributing authors clearly surpassed my expectations and delivered all I had hoped for, and more. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues and friends for their monumental contributions to the edition, and to the Gastrointestinal Intervention for granting us the opportunity to further our education.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey H. Lee, MD, MPH, FASGE, FACG, AGAF

Professor and Director, Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy, epartment of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA