Ten frequently asked questions about endoscopic therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease

Abstract

Commentary

GERD is the third most common GI disorder in the United States, affects 19 million US adults, and accounts annually for 4,590,000 outpatient visits and 96,000 hospitalizations, amounting to $19 billion in annual costs. The majority of patients have complete relief of symptoms on long-term medical therapy with proton pump inhibitors. However, as much as 20% continue to have a detriment in quality of life scores caused by GERD symptoms. These refractory patients, or patients who do not want to take long-term medications, may benefit from the plethora of new endoscopic therapies for GERD. Although long-term follow-up and sham-controlled studies are, in general, not yet available, Dr. Triadafilopoulos reviews the currently available techniques and offers a unique perspective on their potential role in GERD therapy.

Grace Elta, MD

Editor