The Endoscopy Cases and Techniques Library - An Expansion of the Unusual Cases and Technical Notes Section

Starting in May 2006, Endoscopy is introducing a new feature that provides the endoscopy community with access to a hidden treasure - their collective knowledge of cases and techniques. When reviewing the profile of papers submitted over past years, we have realized that there is a strong demand for the sharing of case-oriented knowledge.

What is the value of case reports? They lead us to recognize unusual entities which we might remember when we run into cases that look similar. They may help in difficult situations by showing how somebody else has managed a similar problem. They remind us of unusual and relevant complications of techniques that are well established and widely used. However, where can one find this information? As the strictly scientific value of case reports is limited, the publication space assigned to them in scientific journals is usually limited too.

This has led us to the conclusion that while case studies may have limited impact on scientific progress, they are collectively of enormous value; thus they should be presented in an environment that allows efficient searching and more room for publication than a paper volume could ever provide.