Getting Serious about GERD

An innovative heartburn procedure at Baylor Dallas offers relief.

Occasional heartburn is one thing, but when your heartburn never goes away, that's when it's time to get serious.

That's what Victor Negrete did.
The 31-year-old Omaha, Neb., software engineer recently traveled to Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, where he became the first patient there to undergo a new treatment called endoscopic fullthickness plication.

Negrete is one of millions of Americans who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), in which stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, resulting in chronic heartburn and indigestion.

On the Forefront
Baylor Dallas was the first medical center in the Southwest to offer endoscopic plication for treatment of GERD.

"Part of our goal at Baylor is to stay on the forefront so we can deliver advanced procedures and quality service to our patients," says Daniel DeMarco, M.D., FACP, gastroenterologist and medical director of endoscopy on the medical staff at Baylor Dallas.

Performed through an endoscope with no incision, the outpatient procedure takes only about 45 minutes and is done under deep sedation. The specially designed PlicatorT device is positioned at the junction of the esophagus and stomach. The physician then opens the device's small arms to grab tissue from the gastric wall and create a fold around the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). One suture is placed to hold the fold together, which restores the normal anti-reflux barrier.

The results speak for themselves. "All of our patients so far have done very well, experiencing almost complete relief of their symptoms within 24 hours," Dr. DeMarco says.

A More Permanent Solution
"Some patients achieve excellent GERD symptom relief with medication," Dr. DeMarco explains, "but a significant number of patients find little to no relief. For these patients, this procedure may be a great alternative."

Born with a hiatal hernia, Negrete was diagnosed with GERD at 15. In the last few years his heartburn worsened, causing a constant sore throat and respiratory problems. Medication helped, but only up to a point.

"I couldn't sleep at night because I could feel the acid backing up every couple of hours," he says, adding that he had stopped eating dinner altogether.

Negrete underwent the procedure in June. "It was very fast," he says. "I think I spent more time completing the paperwork than having the procedure done!"

Impressive Results
While some earlier endoscopic GERD procedures have shown a tendency to "come undone" over time, Dr. DeMarco is very impressed with this new technique.

"Time will tell, but the Plicator procedure works very well and I think it will offer patients more long-lasting results," he says. He's not the only one who's impressed. "I had almost immediate relief-it was like somebody simply turned off my 'GERD switch,'" Negrete says.

By Deborah Paddison

Tired of chronic heartburn? Call 1-800-4BAYLOR for a referral to a gastroenterologist on the medical staff at Baylor Dallas or use our on-line physician directory.