Pieter Jan Poortmans
University Hospital Ghent (UZ Gent), Gent, Belgium, Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gent, Gent, Belgium
University Hospital Brussels (UZ Brussels), Brussels, Belgium, Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology
As an interventional endoscopist specialized in luminal and third-space endoscopy, I find the ESGE Academy an excellent platform to stay up to date and inspired. My main focus is in lower GI and training in endoscopy, and I firmly believe that mastering the basics is essential for every endoscopist, no matter their skill level or focus. At the same time, I really value the deconstructed approach to complex procedures, such as training in POEM, which helps translate advanced techniques into structured, learnable steps.
Here are my top 10 picks—covering a mix of fundamental principles, training insights, and advanced endoscopic techniques. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Video Journal | Edition 01: Barrett esophagus surveillance, the basics
This edition strips endoscopy back to its fundamentals, breaking down essential procedures and techniques into clear, manageable steps. Whether it’s a technique as old as the endoscope itself or a nuanced variation that deserves more attention, we explore the “basics” in a way that makes them accessible, practical, and immediately applicable. Even the simplest techniques can present real challenges; here, we dissect them, illustrate them, and give you the tools to master them—no matter where you are on your learning journey.
Video Journal | Edition 03: Assessment of Barrett's esophagus-related Lesions
Lesion assessment throughout the gastrointestinal tract is a discipline built on precision, pattern recognition, and the best use of modern imaging. For luminal mucosal lesions high-definition optics, coupled with meticulous mucosal cleaning and the use of distal attachments, provide the foundation for reliable visualization. At the heart of this practice lies the demarcated area, the border that distinguishes normal from abnormal tissue, within which careful inspection of vascular and pit patterns—regular versus irregular—guides diagnostic accuracy.
Beyond the lumen, echo-endoscopic lesion assessment adds a vital layer, allowing us to characterize subepithelial lesions, define local invasion, and stratify therapeutic options. Similarly, the major papilla and ampullary region present unique interpretative challenges, where mucosal folds and variable morphology demand both experience and structured frameworks for evaluation.
This issue of the Video Journal of the ESGE Academy brings these threads together, reinforcing the importance of optical and echo-endoscopic principles across the spectrum of GI lesion assessment. By standardizing a deconstructed approach while acknowledging site-specific subtleties, we aim to strengthen diagnostic confidence for all endoscopists and ultimately improve patient care.
Webinars | 2025 | Episode 4: My worst complication: Upper GI - Lower GI - EUS drainage
The webinar covers complications in endoscopy, focusing on a severe case of a 70-year-old patient with a duodenal polyp who faces critical issues post-procedure. After experiencing elevated liver function tests and a cardiac arrest, the patient unfortunately dies. Another case highlights a 53-year-old man with alcoholic pancreatitis, emphasizing the importance of decision-making and post-procedure monitoring. The session concludes with key learning points and suggestions for future discussions.
Video Journal | Edition 01 | HPB | Ampullary morphology and its clinical significance in ERCP
This video describes the detailed morphology of ampulla, and its clinical significance. The endoscopic appearance of ampulla and its classification is described with examples, including post-surgical anatomy of ampulla. The differentiation of minor and major papilla, and the identification of adenoma and neoplastic involvement of ampulla is also described. This detailed description will help in selective duct cannulation in timely manner.
Webinars | 2023 | Episode 4 | Back to basics (Part 3): Tips and tricks for successful cannulation
Watch part 3 of our „Back to Basics“ series. „Tips and tricks for successful cannulation” featuring speakers Pierre Deprez and Enrique Perez-Cuadrado Robles and chair Marcus Hollenbach. In this webinar, our experts discuss how to enter the bile duct based on current evidence, focussing on state-of-the art cannulation techniques, guidewire or contrast agent first, how to do the papillotomy, and rescue interventions in difficult biliary cannulation. Finally, the webinar closes with a round table discussion in which the faculty also answers questions from the audience.
Webinars | 2023 | Episode 5 | Back to basics (Part 4): How to perform a structured EUS
Watch Katarzyna Pawlak, Schalk van der Merwe and Paris Gkolfakis in the latest ESGE ‘Back to Basics’ webinar, as they will discuss how to perform a structured EUS, the use of radial scope versus linear array, their utility in staging and in HPB conditions. This webinar also features a Q&A session where our experts answer questions from the audience.
Video Journal | Edition 02: Gastrointestinal Bleeding
This edition strips the endoscopic management of Gastrointestinal Bleeding back to its fundamentals, breaking down essential procedures and techniques into clear, manageable steps.
GI bleeding is something that always raises the pulse of endoscopists and often dominates the discussion in training courses. Even the simplest techniques can present real challenges; here, we dissect them, illustrate them, and give you the tools to master them—no matter where you are on your learning journey.
ESGE Days 2025 | Empowering Education: Inspiring Progress and Innovation in Endoscopy I Episode 3 | Digital education: bridging global boundaries
Dr. David Tate discusses endoscopy training, covering a range of topics including hands-on training, virtual training, learning platforms, simulators, as well as non-technical skills and personal curriculum development.
Season 1 | Training in per-oral endoscopic myotomy – A Deconstructed Approach
Interested in starting training in POEM? Start here to understand concepts, view a deconstructed approach to technique and link in with the forthcoming ESGE Curriculum.
Season 1 | Basic polypectomy
Top tips on how to perform basic colorectal polypectomy well. Trainee performed procedures coached and deconstructed by experts.
