1Endoscopy is being frequently performed for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications in surgical practice. Surgery, as a scientific area, has an important role in the propagation of therapeutic endoscopic procedures. The contribution of surgeons to the evolution of endoscopic applications and its practice is a triggering factor for the improvement of endoscopic instruments and their widespread use.Training and education on basic diagnostic and therapeutic surgical endoscopy should be implemented as part of general surgery residency core program, according to accepted standardized criteria, in order for general surgeons to perform endoscopic applications in the future.In light of this information, it can be concluded that endoscopy training and skills should be standardized within accepted general principles. Standards to be used during post-graduate endoscopic practice should be precisely stated. In addition to accreditation of both surgeons and endoscopic centers, theoretical and practical education programs should be composed and organized. for the first time (3-5). Nitze developed the first cystoscopy in 1877 (6). Another general surgeon, Johann von Mikulicz-Radecki, was the first to perform rigid gastroscopy under morphine sedation (7,8). The semi-flexible tube endoscope was first developed and used by Georg Kelling in 1898 (9). Kelling, a surgeon, performed peritoneoscopy (celioscopy) simultaneously with Dimitrij Oscarovic Ott and Hans Christian Jacobeus (10-12). The idea of placing a camera at the end of an endoscope was put into practice by Lange and Meltzing in 1898 (13). Rudolf Schindler developed the semi-flexible endoscopic instruments used by Kelling (3,14). Schindler, along with Wolf, has made semi-flexible endoscopy widely available and is considered the father of gastroscopy. Basil Hirschowitz developed and used the first fiberoptic endoscopy in 1957 (3, 8). In summary, the physicians mentioned above have been the pioneers in the development of today's endoscopy systems. Following improvements in fiberoptic endoscopy systems of the upper gastrointestinal tract, colonoscopy applications for both diagnosis and treatment has gained wide acceptance.
THE ROLE OF SURGEONS IN THE EVOLUTION OF ENDOSCOPYSurgeons have been active both in the development of the concept of endoscopy and in its use for different purposes. Philipp Bozzini, the father of endoscopy, Adolf Kussmaul who used sunlight as an artificial light source and known by some authors as the father of gastroenterology, Max Nitze who developed and used cystoscopy, Johann von Mikulicz-Radecki who used rigid gastroscopy for the first time, Dimitrij Oscarovic Ott who performed the first peritoneoscopy with tube endoscopy at the same time with Georg Kelling are all surgeons who demonstratedtheir skills inthe endoscopic area as well (8,15). Kussmaul was the first to use gastric tubes for therapeutic purposes. In addition, Kussmaul performed dilatation of esophageal strictures and drainage of gastric contents in case of gastric outlet obstruction...
