An estimated 20 percent of Americans have GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), which occurs when the muscle that acts as a valve between the esophagus and stomach doesn't work correctly, allowing acid to flow back up into the esophagus. Some people who suffer from GERD can sometimes develop a potentially dangerous condition called Barrett's esophagus.
Physicians at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold are treating Barrett's with the latest technology called radiofrequency ablation. Amy Tilara, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with CentraState's Interventional Gastroenterology Program, recently spoke with NJ Advance Media about how this procedure is changing the diagnosis and treatment of Barrett's esophagus.
Q: What's the connection between GERD and Barrett's esophagus?
Dr. Amy Tilara
A: Barrett's esophagus causes the cells lining the esophagus to change into cells similar to those in the intestine. It's the body's reaction to long-term exposure to stomach acid that flows back, or refluxes, into the esophagus from GERD.
Q: What are the symptoms of Barrett's?
A: There are no specific symptoms associated with Barrett's esophagus, and it's usually detected during an endoscopy to diagnose GERD. Endoscopy screening for Barrett's may be recommended for certain patients who don't have any symptoms, including those with a family history of esophageal cancer.
Q: Why is cancer a worry for people with Barrett's?
A: Patients with Barrett's esophagus require regular endoscopy screenings to check for dysplasia, a precancerous condition in the esophagus. Dysplasia puts a patient at high risk for developing esophageal cancer -- the fastest growing cancer in the United States based on the number of new cases.
Q: What's the latest treatment for Barrett's?
A: To prevent cancer in patients with Barrett's, CentraState Medical Center offers an advanced, nonsurgical, outpatient procedure called BarrxTM radiofrequency ablation. Radiofrequency ablation uses heat energy to destroy (ablate) diseased Barrett's tissue in the superficial lining of the esophagus.
Q: How is the procedure performed and how successful is it?
A: While under sedation, an endoscope is inserted into the esophagus, allowing the doctor to view and measure the abnormal tissue that needs to be treated. The ablation device is then inserted to precisely deliver heat energy to only the diseased tissue. The tissue is destroyed and healthy tissue eventually grows back as it heals. The procedure takes approximately 20 minutes, and the patient can go home the same day. The ablation procedure is repeated every three months until the lining of the esophagus returns to normal. Radiofrequency ablation treatment has been shown to be more than 90 percent effective in removing precancerous tissue from the esophagus.
For more information about radiofrequency ablation, call (866) 236-8727 or visit www.centrastate.com/advanced-gerd-treatment.