Book excerpt: This manual presents a comprehensive and state of the-art approach to the diverse applications of surgical techniques and procedures through the endoscopic platform. Sections address preliminary issues faced by surgeons and physicians who may be initially undertaking these new techniques. These areas include training and credentialing, as well as tools and platforms commonly used for these procedures. Subsequent chapters focus on specific disease processes and the endoscopic applications for those procedures. Each section addresses patient selection, pre-operative considerations, technical conduct of the most common operations, and avoiding complications. A brief review of the existing literature addressing the particular topic follows in each section. The text concludes with chapters on future directions and device development. Written by experts in the field, The SAGES Manual Operating Through the Endoscope is a valuable resource to experienced advanced endoscopists looking to expand the types of procedures that they currently perform, as well as trainees, including residents, fellows and medical students.