GIEQs Mission: Promoting Quality in Everyday Endoscopy

Quality in endoscopy encompasses both technical competence and evidence-based practice. Whether performing a diagnostic colonoscopy or placing a self-expanding metal stent for biliary drainage, the foundational principles remain consistent.

The Challenge with Traditional Endoscopy Symposia

Many endoscopy symposia emphasize visually captivating, resource-intensive techniques that are seldom practiced by the majority of endoscopists. For instance, while most gastroenterologists may encounter only a few cases of achalasia in their careers, peroral endoscopic myotomy—a novel technique for treating achalasia—is frequently showcased at these events. In Belgium, fewer than 150 such procedures are performed annually, and many gastroenterologists may never participate in one outside of a symposium setting.

This discrepancy arises for several reasons:

• Complex techniques are often visually engaging and can inspire colleagues due to the high level of skill required.

• Evidence supporting many strategies now applied in everyday endoscopic practice often originates from these complex procedures.

The Importance of Everyday Endoscopy

Routine endoscopic procedures present unique challenges:

• Upper gastrointestinal bleeding: Managing large perforating vessels in gastric ulcers that continuously spurt blood. Recent evidence indicates that over-the-scope clips (OTSC) achieve impressive hemostasis rates in such challenging cases.([ResearchGate][1])

• Colonic laterally spreading tumors (LSTs): A substantial evidence base now guides the treatment of these lesions. Incomplete resections can lead to unnecessary surgical referrals or adverse events, complicating subsequent endoscopic approaches.

GIEQs: Focusing on Everyday Techniques

At GIEQs, we recognize the need for an international endoscopy congress dedicated to techniques performed daily by endoscopists. These include, but are not limited to:([gastrofoundation.co.za][2])

• Painless colonoscopy

• Small polypectomy

• Gastroscopy([Endotherapeutics][3])

• Detection of early-stage precursors of upper GI cancer

• Treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding

An expanding body of evidence informs both the execution of these techniques and the contexts in which they should be applied. Implementing an evidence-based approach can significantly enhance patient care.([gastrofoundation.co.za][2])

Addressing Training Gaps

Unfortunately, many practitioners across Europe and internationally perform common endoscopic techniques without awareness of the latest evidence-based practices, often relying on outdated methods learned during their training. GIEQs aims to bridge this gap by:

• Hosting a 2-day international symposium with a world-class faculty focused on everyday endoscopic techniques.

• Providing live demonstrations alongside evidence presentations.([gieqs.com][4])

• Introducing specific sessions for trainees, covering both practical and theoretical aspects of everyday endoscopy.

• Organizing a separate half-day nursing congress during GIEQs, featuring talks relevant to nurses delivered by national and international nursing leaders, as well as medical faculty.

We believe that quality in endoscopy can only be achieved through comprehensive education of the entire procedural team.

Our Vision

We are confident that the inaugural edition of this symposium will mark the beginning of an ongoing initiative to promote quality in endoscopy. Our goal is not to compete with traditional endoscopy symposia or to develop an evidence base for endoscopic practice—tasks already effectively undertaken by the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and national endoscopy societies. Instead, we aim to present practical educational materials—through face-to-face interactions, live demonstrations, and, in the future, online platforms—that empower endoscopy practitioners to enhance their everyday practice.

We envision GIEQs becoming an annual event dedicated to these objectives and look forward to welcoming independent endoscopists, trainees, and endoscopy nurses specializing in gastrointestinal endoscopy.