A new study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, considered whether taking daily medications or undergoing a surgical operation to treat GERD, or acid reflux disease, offered any variable differences. The findings showed that both treatments appear to control the worst systematic symptoms of this disease.

A sample body of more than 500 people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), were treated with a controlled drug Nexium and given the opportunity to continue using that medication or try a minimally invasive surgery that corrects this condition using the EsophyX procedure.

The study showed that after five years, 92% of the patients in the medicated group and 85% in the surgical group indicated not having any more GERD symptoms, or mild symptoms that they could very easily live with their condition.

Both these types of treatments also showed to be relatively safe, with very low chances of other health concerns.

According to one of the researchers, Jean-Paul Galmiche, MD, professor of gastroenterology at Nantes University in France, states,

“We have shown that the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux has dramatically improved during the last decade, both surgical and medical treatment.”

Earlier studies have shown lower success rates for either a surgical correction surgery or heartburn medications.

Most experts are cautious however. This study does not apply to everyone with gastroesophageal reflux disease and the specific conditions could be very difficult to find treatments for.

This study may offer some assurance about choosing one treatment over the other.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 17, 2011

Redwood City, CA – EndoGastric Solutions (EGS), the leader in the emerging field of Natural Orifice Surgery (NOS), today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a key patent covering its Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) procedure and EsophyX® device for reconstruction of the gastroesophageal junction.

Patent No. 7,942,887, entitled “Transoral Endoscopic Gastroesophageal Flap Valve Restoration Device, Assembly, System and Method,” issued on May 17, 2011. This patent is a continuation of Patent No. 6,790,214 that issued on September 14, 2004. The latest patent expands upon methods of reconstructing the gastroesophageal junction which broadly cover the EsophyX device.

“We are extremely pleased that the USPTO has issued this significant patent covering our TIF procedure,” said Richard M. Romley, Senior Vice President of Research and Development. “We believe that the issuance of this patent further strengthens our position as a leader in Natural Orifice Surgery by granting additional coverage for reconstructing the gastroesophageal junction using our core EsophyX and SerosaFuse technologies.”

The EsophyX device is used to recreate the intersection between the stomach and the esophageal tract to reconstruct the gastroesophageal geometry for patients suffering from GERD. The EsophyX device has a tissue retractor which displaces a portion of the fundus into a tissue mold. The mold is then closed to approximate the two tissue layers. The tissue layers are then fastened together, thereby recreating the intersection between the stomach and the esophageal tract. The EsophyX device also includes an invaginator which uses suction to grasp the esophageal tract. The invaginator may be used to grasp the distal esophagus to treat a hiatal hernia or may be used to stabilize the esophageal tract when manipulating the fundus.

TIF is a surgical procedure performed through the mouth for the treatment of GERD using EndoGastric Solutions’ EsophyX device. Transoral fundoplication fills the treatment gap that exists between pharmaceutical therapy and more invasive surgical fundoplications, addressing a population estimated at over 14 million. To date, clinical results have been approaching those achieved by more invasive surgical techniques.
About EndoGastric Solutions, Inc.

EndoGastric Solutions, Inc. is a pioneer in Natural Orifice Surgery (NOS) for the treatment of upper gastrointestinal diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and other GI disorders. More than 6,000 procedures have been performed using the company’s technologies worldwide since 2007.

For more information about EndoGastric Solutions and its products, EsophyX® and StomaphyX®, please visit http://www.endogastricsolutions.com

A recent news report from ABC discusses the growing issue of heartburn or GERD. Approximately 35% of the current US population suffers from symptoms of heartburn and as many as 15 million Americans suffer from heartburn symtoms everyday. Although GERD can affect people of any age, most studies have shown that the risk increases with age and tends to rise considerable after age 40.

In the past physicians have prescribed medication to help with heartburn symptoms. Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that daily long-term use of many of these drugs results in other complications years later, including osteoporosis and arthritis. According to Dr. Carson Liu, MD of Santa Monica, CA, “When you get to that level, you have to start thinking of other procedures or really modifying your lifestyle to eliminate the reflux. If you are on these medications long-term, more than two years, you may be a candidate for some other procedures.”

According to Dr. Liu and other physicians, one of the best ways to permanently fix GERD symptoms is by undergoing incisionless heartburn surgery using transoral incisionless fundodplication or TIF. This device, developed and manufactured by EndoGastric Solutions, provides an easy to administer incisionless system to repair the reflux valve at the opening of the stomach to the esophagus.

More and more patients are increasingly concerned with the lifetime medical maintenance of GERD symptoms and are looking for a more permanent solution. Currently, with over 5,000 TIF procedures performed around the world, and with the new clinical data, supporting the safety and efficacy of the TIF procedure, it is poised to become the new standard of relief for mild to moderate GERD. This has created patient awareness that is driving demand for this procedure.

Nearly 14 million Americans suffer from Gastroesophageal Reflux Diseas or GERD – acid reflux.

Acid Reflux Disease can cause a lot of different problems in people, including:

• Cough
• Shortness of Breath
• Asthma

A person’s quality of life is greatly hindered as a result of acid reflux disease. In some cases, it can lead to the need to have a lung transplant, as a result of breathing in acid into the lungs from the stomach. The primary concern is esophageal cancer – which is more deadly. The primary problem with people suffering from GERD is adult onset asthma. However, a relatively new procedure promises a cure for both heartburn and asthma and it’s surgically incisionless as well.

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This new incisionless heartburn surgery procedure is called Transoral Incisionless Endoscopic Fundoplication, or TIF EsophyX for short. This new revolutionary procedure is performed entirely through the mouth with a device pioneered by Endogastric Solutions. It’s inserted down the throat into the esophagus where an endoscope shows a complete visual of the stomach valve needing to be repaired. The rebuilt lower esophageal sphincter is then repaired out of stomach tissue and properly secured by polypropylene sutures. Over a short time, the tissue then heals forming a permanent valve. This procedure can also help repair minor hiatal hernia symptoms as well.

The advantages of EsophyX surgery over other traditional surgeries to repair heartburn surgery is the length of recovery and the pain associated with the procedure. Most EsophyX patients go home the same day and for many don’t even require pain medication.

To learn more about TIF – EsophyX, incisionless heartburn surgery contact Puget Sound Surgical Center today. They are the first to provide this new procedure in the pacific northwest.