FIFTY LANDMARK DISCOVERIES IN GASTROENTEROLOGY DURING THE PAST 50 YEARS: A Brief History of Modern Gastroenterology at the Millennium: Part I. Gastrointestinal Procedures and Upper Gastrointestinal Disorders

During the last half century, many outstanding discoverers have revolutionized the clinical practice and science of gastroenterology. Whereas the scientific results are widely disseminated, the discoverers have received inadequate recognition, and the history of their discoveries is poorly known. At the millennium, a committee selected the 50 landmark discoveries in gastroenterology during the past 50 years. A brief history of each landmark discovery is presented. Part I presents the landmark discoveries in gastrointestinal (GI) procedures and in upper GI disorders. Part II of this presentation, which covers landmark discoveries in other areas of gastroenterology, will publish in Part II of the volume on High Risk Gastrointestinal Bleeding.