title: Endoscopy in the diagnosis and management of motility disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrointestinal illness may result from either an underlying structural abnormality (e.g. neoplastic obstruction), or a functional disorder (e.g. motor diarrhea), or both (e.g. achalasia with squamous esophageal cancer).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to highlight the potential value and role of endoscopy in the recognition and management of patients with functional and motility disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a literature review in PubMed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy may be under-used by motility-oriented gastroenterologists; in contrast, motility and other functional studies may be under-used by endoscopists. Yet, many areas of cross-exchange exist.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review aims to guide the appropriate indications for the use of endoscopy in diagnosing and treating functional GI and motility disorders and serve as a bridge and a forum of exchange between endoscopists and motility specialists.
authors.affiliation: Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kopelman
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Triadafilopoulos
mesh_terms: D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods*; D015154:Esophageal Motility Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans