EUS diagnostic puncture

EUS diagnostic puncture has been performed for over 25 years, impressively evolving with the development of new techniques and devices. In this era when tumors are on the rise and giving the necessity of minimally invasive procedures, EUS has a key role for the diagnosis of lesions arising anywhere near the GI wall. It is currently performed as a routine procedure for outpatients in many instances and is being increasingly used to give an accurate diagnosis with a very low risk of side effects. In this chapter we will describe indications and contraindications and will go through each single step of the procedure, giving it a very practical guide on how to perform it and how to acquire an excellent competence on it, with the help of evidence-based information and, when lacking, expert opinion.