Acid Reflux Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Acid Reflux, including details on diet, gerd (gastro-esophageal reflux disease), treatment, symptoms.

Endoscopic therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Rothstein RI, Dukowicz AC

Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Dartmouth Medical School, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA. richard.i.rothstein@hitchcock.org

Within the last 15 years, novel endoscopic therapies have been developed as options for patients who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). These approaches can provide long-term relief of GERD, or can be used to "bridge" patients to future therapy, because undergoing treatment does not preclude one from future medical or surgical therapy. These therapies continue to bean active source of research and investigation. Although they are undergoing rapid development, there are only a few peer-reviewed articles detailing original studies with short-term follow-up. Future success in this arena will depend on sham-controlled trials, long-term outcome studies, and cost-effectiveness analyses. This article describes available endoscopic therapies, discusses their effectiveness and duration of response, and reviews their failures and complications.

Published 5 September 2005 in Surg Clin North Am, 85(5): 949-65, vi.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Acid Reflux Research Today. All Rights Reserved.