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Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

A uniform and comprehensive terminology is essential in the correct documentation of diagnostic or therapeutic endoscopic procedure. In the German-speaking world, the standard terminology available so far is based on a previous version published in 1999. Therefore, the German Society for Gastroenterology, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS) has undergone a comprehensive revision and re-structuring of the terminology. This appeared mandatory due to various changes, new diagnoses and new endoscopic procedures. The suggestions drawn up by individual working groups were approved by consensus and are now available as an online document (https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-121167) for modifying current software systems. In order to ensure an up-to-date documentation in the future, it was decided that annual updates will be performed by the DGVS to check respective software packages for modifications and new contents., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background: The German hospital reimbursement system (G-DRG) is incomplete for endoscopic interventions and fails to differentiate between complex and simple procedures. This is caused by outdated methods of personnel-cost allocation., Methods: To establish an up-to-date service catalogue 50 hospitals made their anonymized expense-budget data available to the German-Society-of-Gastroenterology (DGVS). 2.499.900 patient-datasets (2011-2013) were used to classify operation-and-procedure codes (OPS) into procedure-tiers (e.g. colonoscopy with biopsy/colonoscopy with stent-insertion). An expert panel ranked these tiers according to complexity and assigned estimates of physician time. From June to November 2014 exact time tracking data for a total 38.288 individual procedures were collected in 119 hospitals to validate this service catalogue., Results: In this three-step process a catalogue of 97 procedure-tiers was established that covers 99% of endoscopic interventions performed in German hospitals and assigned validated mean personnel-costs using gastroscopy as standard. Previously, diagnostic colonoscopy had a relative personnel-cost value of 1.13 (compared to gastroscopy 1.0) and rose to 2.16, whereas diagnostic ERCP increased from 1.7 to 3.62, more appropriately reflecting complexity. Complex procedures previously not catalogued were now included (e.g. gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection: 16.74)., Discussion: This novel service catalogue for GI-endoscopy almost completely covers all endoscopic procedures performed in German hospitals and assigns relative personnel-cost values based on actual physician time logs. It is to be included in the national coding recommendation and should replace all prior inventories for cost distribution. The catalogue will contribute to a more objective cost allocation and hospital reimbursement - at least until time tracking for endoscopy becomes mandatory., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Achalasia is a rare motility disorder of the oesophagus. Classic achalasia is characterised by a lack of propulsive peristalsis of the distal oesophagus and incomplete relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES). Traditionally achalasia is treated either endoscopically by pneumatic balloon dilatation or laparoscopically by Heller's myotomy. Both therapeutic procedures show a comparable effectiveness. Recently, peroral endoscopic myotomy was introduced as a new definitive treatment option. So far, this minimally invasive therapy was evaluated in a few clinical studies only. In this survey, peroral endoscopic myotomy is presented and compared to the well established surgical treatment. The diagnosis of achalasia is based on the patient's medical history and analysis of symptoms and particularly on oesophageal manometry. In addition, a barium swallow (oesophagram) and upper endoscopy are performed to rule out other reasons causing dysphagia. The patient's complaints should be recorded by use of a symptoms score. The POEM procedure starts with an incision of the mucosa at the level of the mid-oesophagus. Then, a submucosal tunnel is created distally passing approximately 2 cm over the oesophagogastric junction. After this step, myotomy of (at least) the circular muscle bundle of the distal oesophagus is performed and should be extended to a distance of 2 cm over the cardiac. Finally the mucosal entry site at the level of the mid-oesophagus is closed with endoscopic clips. First results of this technique are very promising with significant symptom relief and reduction of the mean LES pressure. In conclusion, POEM is a new, minimally invasive therapeutic option for the treatment of oesophageal achalasia. First results are very promising; long-term results and results of comparative clinical trials with established treatment methods must be awaited., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background: Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) has been shown to reliably predict histology during ongoing endoscopy. To unmask lesions for CLE, chromoendoscopy has been mandated. Usually fluorescein then serves as a contrast agent for CLE, but it does not allow direct nuclear visualization, must be injected, leads to a transient skin discoloration, and may have allergic side effects., Objective: To establish a single topical dye, cresyl violet (CV), for simultaneous chromoendoscopy and in vivo CLE of the lower GI tract., Design: Animal preclinical study, prospective clinical trial., Setting: Mainz University Clinic (tertiary care center). PATIENTS, METHODS, AND INTERVENTIONS: To establish the staining characteristics and optimal concentration of CV, the ileum and colon of 7 BL6 mice were stained with CV (0.1%-2%), and in vivo confocal imaging was performed with FIVE1. In a subsequent clinical trial, 67 sites in 36 patients were topically stained with CV 0.13%, and subsurface serial images were generated at different depths with an endomicroscope., Main Outcome Measurements: Prediction of histology according to the Mainz confocal classification and nuclear visualization with topical CV., Results: Endomicroscopy with topical CV yielded (sub-)cellular details of normal mucosa, and regenerative and neoplastic changes at variable imaging depths in high resolution comparable to those with intravenous fluorescein. By cytoplasmic enrichment of CV, nuclear morphology could be negatively visualized. Reliable differentiation of nonneoplastic versus neoplastic changes during ongoing endoscopy and a high interobserver agreement based on the microscopic images generated in vivo could be achieved., Limitations: Single-center study, nonrandomized, limited number of patients., Conclusions: CV can be applied topically and allows simultaneous chromoendoscopy and endomicroscopy with accurate prediction of histology with visualization of nuclear morphology. It may therefore be a single-agent alternative to chromoendoscopy and fluorescein in endomicroscopy.

Background: EUS-guided FNA (EUS-FNA) is an established tissue-acquisition technique, with most studies concentrating on cytologic analyses of specimens, with only few data existing on histologic assessment., Objective: To assess the sensitivity of a combined analysis of histologic followed by cytologic tissue diagnosis., Design: A retrospective 3-center study., Methods: In consecutive patients undergoing FNA of solid pancreatic masses, core specimens were harvested for histology; residual tissue was examined cytologically. Only unequivocally positive results were regarded as malignant. Criterion standards were positive results from EUS-FNA or other histologic findings, or, if negative, clinical follow-up data (minimum 12 months)., Results: Among 192 patients (110 men; mean age 63 years) with mostly pancreatic-head masses (72.4%), overall, adequate tissue was obtained in 98.9% of all cases, with a mean of 1.88 needle passes and an overall sensitivity of 82.9% (95% CI, 76.0%-88.5%). Histology and subsequent cytology provided adequate tissue and sensitivities of 86.5% and 60%, and 92.7% and 68.1%, respectively. Excluding cases with inadequate specimens, sensitivities rose by 4% to 10%. Histology showed a trend for superiority over cytology only in characterizing nonadenocarcinoma tumor types. No differences in sensitivity were found between the centers involved., Limitations: Retrospective design, different processing of cytologic specimens., Conclusions: At EUS-FNA in pancreatic masses, combined histologic-cytologic analysis achieved a sensitivity of more than 80%, despite a low number of needle passes and may thus save time. Histology alone did not reach higher sensitivity than cytology. In particular situations, eg, rare tumors, histology may still be required.