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Several endoscopic antireflux therapies have been proposed to reduce the need for chronic medical therapy or laparoscopic fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Dr Alessandro Repici and colleagues from Italy evaluated the short- and mid-term clinical results of endoluminal fundoplication with EsophyX™.
The research team enrolled 20 patients in the study.
All the endoluminal fundoplications were performed under general anesthesia.
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A median of 14 fasteners was placed.
There were no major intraoperative complications.
The team found that 2 patients developed early complications and were treated conservatively.
The researchers reported that 4 patients underwent, within the first year post-endoluminal fundoplication, a laparoscopic fundoplication because of persistence of symptoms.
The team observed that 1 patient was lost to follow-up between 6 and 12 months.
Among the other 15 patients who completed 12 months follow-up, the GERD health-related quality of life score decreased from a median of 40 to a median of 10, and 7 patients were still off proton pump inhibitor.
An improvement in esophageal acid exposure was recorded in 16.6% of patients, while in 67%, it worsened.
Dr Repici's team concluded, "Endoluminal fundoplication induced improvement of GERD symptoms and patients quality of life in a subgroup of patients with a reduced need for medication."
"However, it did not significantly change esophageal acid exposure in these patients."
"The need for revisional standard laparoscopic fundoplication was high."
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