Thank you for listening to this podcast, where Frontline Gastroenterology Trainee Editor Dr Philip Smith talks to Dr Bjorn Rembacken, Consultant Endoscopist Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, about frontline endoscopy.

The podcast is an accompaniment to the Frontline Gastroenterology Twitter Debate (#FGDebate) held on Tuesday 23rd September 2014 at 8-9pm GMT, entitled, 'Frontline Endoscopy: Colonic EMR vs ESD - which one and when?'.

A summary of this debate can be found at: https://storify.com/FrontGastro_BMJ/frontline-endoscopy-colonic-emr-vs-esd-which-one

Prior to the debate Dr Bjorn Rembacken said:

'It was about 10 years ago when Japanese endoscopists started to resect colonic lesions “en-bloc” by ESD. They were prompted by histopathologists who had difficulties interpreting margins. Not unlike the introduction of laparoscopic surgery, the technique has been criticised for being awkward, hazardous, expensive and time consuming. However, as it seems to be the correct direction of travel, many endoscopists outside of Japan are now beginning to have a go.

In the UK, patients expect to have “keyhole surgery” as it shortens recovery considerably. Has ESD now matured sufficiently to be regarded as the best standard?

In this Twitter debate, we will explore the issues, which are complicated, and has wide ranging implications for training, how histopathologists diagnose cancer and the surgical management of colorectal cancer'.

The purpose of the podcast is to 'fill any gaps' the #FGDebate may have left. Dr Bjorn Rembacken has also provided the slides he used in #FGDebate to help those interested understand the issues associated with these advanced endoscopy techniques. We hope you enjoy this and it is informative.

View the slides: http://goo.gl/ZPSCiy