[Interventional endoscopic ultrasound: an evolving technique]

The availability of smaller instruments with larger working channels and higher imaging resolution has led to important development of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) techniques these past years. From a purely diagnostic instrument, EUS guided fine needle aspiration has become a well recognized technique to acquire tissue in the mediastinum and the upper abdomen, more and more complex therapeutic procedures are now performed. It is now possible to precisely inject therapeutic agents under EUS guidance, drain intraabdominal collections and drain previously inaccessible obstructed pancreatic and bile ducts. The currently accepted indications of interventional endosonography and the technique currently under evaluation will be discussed.