Endoscopic construction of an antireflux mucosal barrier for the treatment of GERD: a pilot study (with video).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Based on the porcine natural antireflux mechanism, we developed a novel endoscopic procedure to build an antireflux mucosal flap to block acid reflux and treat GERD. METHODS: The antireflux mucosal valvuloplasty (ARMV) procedure is performed by releasing and reconstructing three-fourths of the circumference of cardiac mucosa at the lesser curvature side into a double-layer mucosal flap. The mucosal flap works together with cardiac scarring to block reflux. We retrospectively reviewed 30 patients who underwent ARMV from 2019 to 2021. Subjective and objective data evaluating GERD were collected before and after ARMV. RESULTS: All 30 ARMV procedures were performed successfully, with a mean operation time of 72.6 ± 20.3 minutes. One patient had postoperative bleeding that required endoscopic hemostasis. The mean follow-up time was 28.9 ± 13.9 months. Twenty-five of 30 patients (83.3%) and 23 of 26 patients (88.5%) reported discontinuation or reduction in proton pump inhibitor therapy 3 months and 1 year after ARMV, respectively. GERD questionnaire and GERD Health-Related Quality of Life questionnaire scores improved significantly from 14.0 ± 2.6 and 48.7 ± 15.0, respectively, before ARMV to 7.7 ± 2.5 and 10.2 ± 5.9, respectively, 12 months after ARMV (P < .0001 in both comparisons). Eleven patients received 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring before and after ARMV. The mean acid exposure time and DeMeester score dropped from 56.9% ± 23.7% and 167.1 ± 80.1, respectively, before ARMV to 5.5% ± 3.0% and 18.6 ± 11.9, respectively, after ARMV (P < .0001 in both comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study showed that ARMV is a safe, feasible, and effective procedure for GERD patients. Further prospective and comparative trials are needed to confirm its role among endoscopic antireflux therapies.

Benefits of precise endoscopic incision on post-dilation mucosal scars to treat refractory esophageal stricture after endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Endoscopic dilation (ED) is the mainstream treatment for esophageal stricture after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). However, some complex esophageal strictures do not respond well to dilation. Endoscopic radial incision (ERI) has proved to be effective in treating anastomotic strictures, but it is rarely used to treat post-ESD esophageal strictures due to technical difficulties and risks, not to mention the optimal method and timing to perform ERI. Here, we developed an integrated procedure in which ED was performed first, followed by ERI on the stiff scars that remained intact after dilation. The ED + ERI procedure resulted in complete, uniform expansion of the esophageal lumen. Between 2019 and 2022, 5 post-ESD patients who received a median number of 11 sessions of ED (range, 4-28) of ED over a period of 322 days (range, 246-584) but still had moderate to severe dysphagia were admitted. 2 or 3 sessions of ED + ERI were performed for each patient interspersed with ED. After a median number of 4 treatments (range, 2-9), all patients were symptom-free or had minimal symptoms. No serious complications occurred in any patients who underwent ED + ERI. Therefore, ED + ERI is safe, feasible, and may serve as a useful therapeutic method for refractory esophageal stricture after ESD.