Do you limit foods and drinks like alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, citrus, or carbonated beverages due to reflux? Do you suffer from nighttime symptoms? Does reflux require you to manage how late at night you eat, how large your meals are, how soon you can exercise after eating, or when you take medication?

If you answered yes to all of the questions above, you are suffering from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Heartburn is the most common symptom of GERD but you may also experience:

• Hoarseness or sore throat
• Excessive clearing of the throat
• Frequent swallowing
• Chronic cough
• Asthma or asthma-like symptoms
• Burning in the mouth or throat
• Pain or discomfort in the chest
• Intolerance to certain foods
• Yellow fluid or pillow stains after sleep
• Dental erosions or therapy resistant gum disease or inflammation

Medications may ease symptoms but don’t cure the problem or stop the progression of the disease. The new minimal downtime, incisionless EsophyX TIF procedure creates an anatomical barrier to reflux. In as little as a couple of days you can be reflux free and back to most normal activities.

Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) is an innovative and effective surgical procedure for the treatment of GERD. Developed by EndoGastric Solutions^®, Inc., TIF fundoplication is performed from inside the patient’s stomach without incisions. This procedure delivers patient outcomes similar to those provided by conventional antireflux surgical procedures, but it is less invasive, has fewer adverse effects, and offers more future procedural options. TIF fundoplication is able to repair the antireflux barrier, including reduction of hiatal hernia (≤ 2cm), restoration of angle of His, and creation of a 3-5 cm long antireflux valve with ~280° circumference similar to the Nissen, Toupet, Hill, and Belsey fundoplication procedures.

In TIF fundoplication, the EsophyX^® device is placed over an endoscope. Once the patient has been placed under general anesthesia, both are inserted into the patient’s mouth and the distal end of the endoscope is advanced into the patient’s stomach. A hiatal hernia can be reduced by moving the esophagus and fundus below the diaphragm. Tissue at the gastroesophageal junction is pulled and wrapped into a fold, or plication. The fold is then anchored using SerosaFuse^® fasteners equivalent to 3.0 sutures, which are delivered across the tissue to complete the fundoplication. The surgeon creates multiple plications, reconstructing the antireflux barrier and creating a substantial, tight, and robust gastroesophageal valve.

In short, the new Incisionless EsophyX TIF^® procedure surgically reconstructs the natural valve that stops acid from coming up. EsophyX is introduced into the body through the mouth, not through an incision.

Benefits of EsophyX TIF^®:

• Incisionless surgery, performed through the mouth not an incision.
• Less pain, less risk, no scar
• Most patients can get back to work and most normal activities in only a couple of days.
• Anatomical repair eliminates need for pills.
• Reduces or eliminates use of pills. Long-term use of PPIs has been shown to increase incidence of hip fractures and osteoporosis.

If you or someone you love struggles with GERD or heartburn related issues, I urge you to call the Digestive Health Center at 1-877-900-6399 for your consultation today.