Do you suffer from significant heartburn every day?
If so, you could be one of millions of Americans who suffer
from GERD (Gastroesophageal , Reflux Disease), commonly known as
chronic heartburn.
What is GERD?
GERD occurs when stomach acid, enzymes and bile
"reflux" upward from the stomach into the esophagus
through the lower esophageal sphincter. The most common symptom
associated with GERD is heartburn. Normally, the lower esophageal
sphincter (LES) acts as a one-way valve, enabling food to pass,
into the stomach, but not backward into the esophagus.
GERD can cause a wide range of symptoms:
- Persistent heartburn
- Regurgitation
- Choking episodes at night
- Chest pain
- Difficulty or pain when swallowing
- Asthma
- Chronic sore throat
- Chronic cough
- Laryngitis
If you have been diagnosed with GERD, a new treatment offered
exclusively in our area at CGH Medical Center known as the
Stretta Procedure may provide the relief you are looking for.
The Stretta® Procedure
The Stretta Procedure, developed by Curon Medical, Inc. and
offered at CGH Medical Center, is a minimally invasive,
outpatient procedure performed in an endoscopy suite in 60
minutes or less under conscious sedation. There is no hospital
stay involved and patients typically return to normal activities
the following day.
The Stretta Procedure is a uses radiofrequency energy to treat
gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Normally, stomach acid
and digestive enzymes are prevented from flowing backwards into
the esophagus by a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter.
In GERD, this valve is impaired and the symptoms of heartburn and
regurgitation develop due to chronic exposure of the esophagus to
the irritating contents of the stomach. Over 14 million American
adults suffer from GERD.
Medications to control acid production and the symptoms of
GERD cost $14 billion per year worldwide. Also, a study in the
New England Journal of Medicine found that those with heartburn
at least a once a week are at an eight times higher risk of
developing esophageal cancer.
The Stretta Procedure was evaluated in a clinical study
conducted at 16 centers in the U.S. with 130 patients. For the 47
study patients for whom six-month follow up data is currently
available, 70% were able to discontinue all anti-acid
medications, while 87% were able to discontinue the most potent
of these drugs the proton pump inhibitors. Stretta reduced the
exposure of the esophagus to acid in the majority of patients, as
well as significantly reducing heartburn and regurgitation. Most
Stretta patients have now resumed normal diets and active
exercise routines, which had been previously modified due to the
symptoms of GERD.
Gastroenterologist
 Dr. Joseph Gaziano (right) is
one of a few doctors nationwide currently performing this FDA
approved state of the art procedure.
How Stretta Works
You are put to sleep during the procedure. After you are
asleep the physician performs a standard endoscopy to examine the
esophagus.
Step 1 The physician places the catheter through the mouth
and into the valve between the stomach and esophagus. The
electrodes are placed into the tissue and radiofrequency energy
is delivered to create well-defined areas of coagulation around
the electrodes. Water delivered through ports in the catheter
irrigates the surface mucosa during treatment. The device
monitors temperature readings to assure safety and precise
control during treatment.
Step 2 The physician repeats this sequence along the length
of the gastroesophageal junction.
Step 3 Over the next few weeks, the coagulated tissue
reabsorbs and shrinks, increasing resistance to reflux. The
catheter is withdrawn and anesthesia is reversed. Most patients
return to normal activities the next day. The entire procedure
takes about an hour. You may experience immediate improvement in
GERD symptoms due to collagen contraction and tissue shrinkage of
the valve. Over the next few months, you may experience further
substantial improvement in symptoms as the thermal lesions heal.
Most Stretta patients discontinue medications within a month
without recurrence of symptoms. The Stretta procedure is covered
by most insurance plans.
Will I experience any pain before or after the Stretta
Procedure?
Some patients experience mild abdominal cramping during the
procedure, but under conscious sedation the discomfort is brief
and easily alleviated. In the days following the procedure,
patients may feel tenderness in the upper abdomen, which
disappears typically in 3 to 5 days.
What can I expect in terms of my GERD symptom improvement
after the Stretta procedure?
Most patients experience reduction in heartburn and
regurgitation symptoms within one month of the procedure, and are
able to discontinue drug therapy with minimal residual symptoms.
Your individual results may vary.
Will I have to contine taking GERD medication after the
Stretta procedure?
Most patients who have the Stretta Procedure have been able to
discontinue their reflux medications within 2 months. Symptoms
continue to improve during the 6 months following the
procedure.
Check out the website
www.strettaprocedure.com
For more information on the Stretta Procedure call the special
hotline at CGH Medical Center: (815) 632-5151
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