Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a prevalent condition that affects a significant portion of the Western population. Despite its benign pathophysiology, it has the potential to cause serious complications over time, ranging from conditions that are benign, premalignant, and/or malignant. Traditional treatment options include lifestyle measures, anti-secretory medications (e.g., proton pump inhibitor (PPI)), and surgical options (e.g., Nissen and Toupet fundoplication). However, recent studies have revealed long-term side effects of anti-secretory medications. Moreover, surgical options, though effective, are considered invasive and associated with potential complications. In the current age of ongoing research in minimally invasive options, endoscopic treatment of GERD has become popular. As a result, procedures such as radiofrequency treatment and transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) have gained FDA approval and are currently being covered by most insurance. In this review article, we will discuss pre-procedural workup, appropriate patient selection, advantages, disadvantages, procedure techniques, and follow-up of patients who undergo various endoscopic treatments for GERD. In addition, we will review the short and long-term success of these techniques in improving quality of life, use of PPI, and improvement in symptoms considering published data in high-quality peer-reviewed journals.

BACKGROUND: There are no direct comparisons across different endoscopic therapies for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This study aimed to evaluate the relative effects of different endoscopic therapies in GERD.
METHODS: Five databases were searched until August 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the efficacy of endoscopic band ligation (EBL), Stretta, endoscopic fundoplication (transoral incisionless fundoplication [TIF], endoscopic full-thickness plication [EFTP], and EndoCinch plication procedure [EndoCinch, CR BARD, Billerica, Mass., USA]), or proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)/sham procedure for GERD. Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed.
RESULTS: A total of 19 trials comprising 1181 patients were included. EBL (mean difference [MD], -7.75; 95% credible interval [CrI], -13.90 to -1.44), Stretta (MD, -9.86; 95% CrI, -19.05 to -0.58), and TIF (MD, -12.58; 95% CrI, -20.23 to -4.91) all significantly improved patients\' health-related quality of life score with equivalent efficacy compared with PPIs. TIF and EBL achieved equivalent efficacy in reducing PPIs utility (risk ratio [RR], 0.66; 95% CrI, 0.40-1.05) and both were significantly superior to other endoscopic interventions (Stretta, EFTP, and EndoCinch). Besides, EBL and TIF also could significantly decrease the esophagitis incidence compared with PPIs (EBL [RR, 0.34; 95% CrI, 0.22-0.48] and TIF [RR, 0.38; 95% CrI, 0.15-0.88]). In terms of lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, only TIF could significantly increase the LES pressure (MD, 6.53; 95% CrI, 3.65-9.40) to PPIs. In contrast, TIF was inferior to PPIs in decreasing esophageal acid exposure (MD, 2.57; 95% CrI, 0.77-4.36).
CONCLUSIONS: Combining the evidence, EBL and TIF may have comparable efficacy and both might be superior to Stretta, EFTP, or EndoCinch in GERD treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is very common in the general population and poses a large societal socio-economic burden. In this article, we review the evidence supporting non-ablative radiofrequency treatment (Stretta) for the endoscopic management of GERD and we compare it to pharmacologic and other minimally invasive and surgical interventions.
RESULTS: Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are a key therapy for GERD. For patients without associated significant sliding hiatal hernia, who have inadequate relief of their reflux symptoms, Stretta and other endoscopic therapies, such as transoral fundoplication (TIF), may improve symptoms and GERD-related quality of life. Unfortunately, there are no recent large randomized controlled trials, and most of the evidence is based on meta-analyses and small scale, prospective and retrospective single center efforts. Comparisons of Stretta efficacy to other anti-reflux endoscopic modalities and anti-reflux surgery (ARS) are also presented. There are several endoscopic and minimally invasive modalities to manage PPI-refractory GERD acting through various mechanisms that have been found effective in managing GERD symptoms and quality of life. Among them, Stretta has the longest track record of efficacy and safety. Larger-scale and longer-term comparative efficacy trials in selected populations of patients with acid reflux with and without hiatal hernia will be needed.

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Gastro-esophageal reflux disorder (GERD) is the most common gastrointestinal tract disorder with high morbidity and heavy economic burden. Despite being treated with high-dose proton-pump inhibitors or H2 receptor blockers, a considerable percentage of patients have GERD that is only partially controlled or refractory. The majority of these patients forego surgical treatment for fear of adverse outcomes, putting them at a financial disadvantage and causing loss of productivity. Untreated GERD is the sole known risk factor for developing Barrett\'s esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma if left untreated. With the advancement in therapeutic modalities in recent years, and given the issues such as medication compliance, the risk of adverse events with long-term antisecretory treatment, and fear of undergoing surgical treatment, endoscopic treatments such as Stretta and transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) have become a safe, cost-effective, and resilient option for the treatment of refractory GERD. Patients with refractory GERD ineligible for endoscopic therapies due to a large hiatal hernia can have their hiatal hernia corrected simultaneously with TIF (C-TIF). For the treatment of refractory GERD, endoscopic therapy is a viable and compelling option. Endoscopic therapies for refractory GERD patients are highly recommended due to their reproducible and standardized results as well as the potential to address the fundamental mechanical issue.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has consistently been the most frequently diagnosed gastrointestinal malady in the USA. The mainstay of therapy has traditionally been medical management, including lifestyle and dietary modifications as well as antacid medications. In those patients found to be refractory to medical management or with a contraindication to medications, the next step up has been surgical anti-reflux procedures. Recently, though innovative advancements in therapeutic endoscopy have created numerous options for the endoscopic management of GERD, in this review, we discuss the various endoscopic therapy options, as well as suggested strategies we use to recommend the most appropriate therapy for patients.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease has an increasing incidence and prevalence worldwide. A significant proportion of patients have a suboptimal response to proton pump inhibitors or are unwilling to take lifelong medication due to concerns about long-term adverse effects. Endoscopic anti-reflux therapies offer a minimally invasive option for patients unwilling to undergo surgical treatment or take lifelong medication. The best candidates are those with a good response to proton pump inhibitors and without a significant sliding hiatal hernia. Transoral incisionless fundoplication and nonablative radiofrequency are the techniques with the largest body of evidence and that have been tested in several randomized clinical trials. Band-assisted ligation techniques, anti-reflux mucosectomy, anti-reflux mucosal ablation, and new plication devices have yielded promising results in recent noncontrolled studies. Nonetheless, the role of endoscopic procedures remains controversial due to limited long-term and comparative data, and no consensus exists in current clinical guidelines. This review provides an updated summary focused on the patient selection, technical details, clinical success, and safety of current and future endoscopic anti-reflux techniques.

Approximately, 10% to 15% of patients in the United States experience gastroesophageal reflux symptoms on a weekly basis, negatively affecting the quality of life and increasing the risk of reflux-related complications. For patients with symptoms recalcitrant to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy or those who cannot take PPIs, surgical fundoplication is the gold standard. The preoperative workup is complex but vital for operative planning and ensuring good postoperative outcomes. Most patients are highly satisfied after fundoplication, though transient dysphagia, gas bloating, and resumption of PPI use are common postoperatively. Multiple newer technologies offer safe alternatives to fundoplication with similar outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: STRETTA improves the quality of life and reduces the need for anti-reflux medication in select patients, especially those with uncomplicated gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We aimed to review the outcomes of STRETTA in patients with medically refractory GERD, who had undergone previous gastric surgery.
METHODS: This was a review of a prospective database in a British center. Since 2016, all GERD patients who underwent STRETTA and had a history of previous gastric surgery were studied (n=11). Anti-reflux medication pre- and post-STRETTA was evaluated. The outcomes were assessed objectively by the change in anti-reflux medication and subjectively through a pre- and post-procedure GERD-health-related quality of life (HRQL) questionnaire.
RESULTS: The median length of follow-up was 23 months. Nine patients demonstrated improved GERD-HRQL scores following STRETTA (82%). Of the 7 patients who underwent fundoplication, all reported improved symptoms, with 3 patients discontinuing the medication and 3 patients on a reduced dose of proton pump inhibitor. Four patients underwent surgery other than fundoplication, of which 2 reported improvement and discontinued the proton pump inhibitor. Two patients reported no improvement.
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that STRETTA is successful in reducing refractory GERD in patients with previous gastric surgery. The outcomes were comparable to published outcomes in patients with uncomplicated GERD with no previous history of gastric surgery.

Non-ablative radiofrequency treatment to the lower esophageal sphincter (Stretta) has been shown to be beneficial after failed Nissen fundoplication. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Stretta after transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF). This patient is a 17-year-old female who had gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms for 9 years. She presented with heartburn, regurgitation, and epigastric discomfort. She used omeprazole for 9 years. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) showed a 2 cm sliding hiatal hernia and DeMeester score of 25. The GERD Health-Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQL) score on omeprazole was 14. Patient underwent a TIF procedure, which was uneventful. Her symptoms resolved, and she discontinued omeprazole. Six months later, she had episodes of repeated violent vomiting followed by recurrence of regurgitation, nausea, bloating, and dysphagia. She resumed omeprazole. Diagnostic workup included gastric emptying scan, which was normal. EGD showed no hiatal hernia and partial disruption of the TIF valve. DeMeester score was 36.3. Esophageal manometry with impedance showed intact peristalsis and normal relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. The patient underwent Stretta, which was uneventful. The previous TIF did not increase the complexity of the procedure. There were no immediate or postoperative complications. The patient reported gradual improvement of her symptoms with complete resolution 2 months postoperatively. She discontinued omeprazole. The GERD-HRQL score 17 months post-Stretta was 0. This case highlights the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of performing Stretta following TIF. It provides an endoluminal alternative to complex revisional antireflux surgery. Prospective studies with longer follow-up are required to validate this concept.