[Gastrointestinal hemorrhage--change in therapy concepts by endoscopy]

Since the introduction of endoscopy in diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding in the early seventies, emergency endoscopy has changed the therapeutic concept of this disease. At first the task of emergency endoscopy was limited to location of the bleeding site. In the eighties endoscopic hemostasis was established in many hospitals. In addition, preselection of patients who will benefit from surgery has become possible by endoscopic means. These factors have reduced significantly mortality due to GI bleeding.