Skip to contents
In This Issue:
BWH First to Offer New Heartburn Treatment in Massachusetts
For those people who are forced to think twice before eating certain foods and suffer from the discomfort of heartburn, the BWH Endoscopy Center is providing a new therapeutic option. EndoCinch (Bard Endoscopic Technologies, Billerica, Mass.), a new endoscopic non-surgical procedure, offers patients seeking relief from gastroesphageal reflux disease (GERD) or heartburn an alternative to long-term medication and more complicated surgical procedures.
More than 15 million American adults suffer from GERD symptoms such as persistent heartburn (a burning sensation in their chest), difficulty swallowing, cough, sore throat, interference with normal daily activities and sleep disturbance. But there is good news for individuals seeking treatment who reside in Massachusetts - physicians at Brigham and Women’s/ Faulkner Hospitals are the first to perform the EndoCinch procedure in the state. David Carr-Locke, MD, Julia Liu, MD, Benjamin Smith, MD, Ewa Preneta, MD and their nurse assistants comprise a small group of certified specialists who offer this treatment in New England.
Carr-Locke, director of Endoscopy at BWH, introduced the treatment at BWH earlier this year. “We are selecting patients with GERD who fulfill our criteria of frequent symptoms,” he said. This patient group includes individuals with a need for the most powerful acid-lowering medications and a positive 24-hour ambulatory esophageal acidity test. “We are part of a network of centers around the world performing this procedure and sharing our experiences. BWH has become a training center for other physicians and nurses,” Carr-Locke added.
During an EndoCinch procedure, physicians place a series of stitches in the upper stomach just below its junction with the esophagus to create a partial barrier between the stomach and esophagus. This gateway prevents acid from flowing freely out of the stomach. This outpatient procedure takes only about 30 minutes to complete. Unlike GERD surgery, it does not require an incision and allows for faster recovery and a shorter hospital stay. Compared to patients who undergo more invasive procedures, EndoCinch patients receive only sedation and can return home the same day the procedure is performed.
To date, the results have been promising and the patient feedback is positive. Statistics from a patient study show that this new therapeutic option results in a 75 percent reduction in daily use of medications, 70 percent reduction in GERD symptoms and that 90 percent of patients reported no or mild regurgitation six months following the procedure.
It is Carr-Locke’s hope that EndoCinch will be followed by a proliferation of other similar devices and applications. “This is the start to a new array of therapeutic options that will benefit our patients with a range of gastrointestinal disorders,” he said.