title: Endoscopic ultrasound practice survey in latin america.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has become an important imaging modality for the diagnosis, staging and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. However, no official data exists regarding clinical EUS practice in Latin America (LA). This study assessed current EUS practice and training.
  
  
  METHODS
  A direct mail survey questionnaire was sent to 268 Capítulo Latino Americano de Ultrasonido Endoscópico members between August 2012 and January 2013. The questionnaire was sent out in English, Spanish and Portuguese languages and was available through the following site: http://www.cleus-encuesta.com. Responses were requested only from physicians who perform EUS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 70 LA physicians answered the questionnaire until January 2013. Most of the participants were under 42 years of age (53%) and 80% were men. Most participants (45.7%) perform EUS in Brazil, 53% work in a private hospital. The majority (70%) also perform endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. A total 42% had performed EUS for 2 years or less and 22.7% for 11 years or more. Only 10% performed more than 5000 EUS. The most common indication was an evaluation of pancreatic-biliary-ampullary lesions. Regarding training, 48.6% had more than 6 months of dedicated hands-on EUS and 37% think that at least 6 months of formal training is necessary to acquire competence. Furthermore, 64% think that more than 50 procedures for pancreatic-biliary lesions are necessary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey provides insight into the status of EUS in LA. EUS is performed mostly by young endoscopists in LA. Diagnostic upper EUS is the most common EUS procedure. Most endosonographers believe that formal training is necessary to acquire competence.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Marques
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Drigo
authors.affiliation: Clinica Alemaña de Santiago, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Exploraciones Digestivas (IMLF) Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Wallia
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wever
authors.affiliation: Hospital Punta Pacífica, Ciudad de Panamá, Panama.
authors.forename: José Ricardo Ruíz
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Obaldía
authors.affiliation: Centro Franco-Brasileiro de Ecoendoscopia (CFBEUS), Santa Casa de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fillipi
authors.affiliation: Depto de Medicina Social, Santa Casa de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manoel C S A
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil ; Centro Franco-Brasileiro de Ecoendoscopia (CFBEUS), Santa Casa de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucio G B
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Rossini
keywords: Latin America; echoendoscopy; endoscopic ultrasound; survey