來自比利時布魯塞爾大學的Guy-Bernard教授最近操作了第一例治療嚴重胃食管返流疾病(GERD)的跨口腔、無需切割的內腔胃底折術。

Cadiere教授說：“GERD是一種嚴重疾病，每周返流超過3次或者每年超過20次，癌癥發生可能性增加20倍。” 大約10%的慢性GERD患者出現癌前病變、Barrett食道，10%的病例會進展成為癌癥。”

這種新手術從口腔將工具插入胃部，重建胃食道瓣膜，防止胃內容物返流入食道和咽喉。迄今為止，使用這種新設備和手術方案已經成功治療了7例患者。目前，除了經腹部切開手術處理胃和食道之外，沒有有效地治療GERD 的方法。這種新的手術方法是由EndoGastric公司(EG, Redmond, WA, USA)開發成功的。

根據Cadiere醫生的說法，其他公司已經嘗試開發微創內窺鏡方法來治療GERD，但是這些公司的產品表現并不如人意，因為并沒有改善胃食道瓣膜的性能成為防止返流的屏障。

EG公司的首席醫療官Stefan Kraemer博士補充說：“最重要的事情是我們正在使用已經得到證實的技術和方法，例如對胃食道瓣膜的處理，在手術過程中，無需切開腹壁。”

Incision-Free Procedure for GERD
 
The first trans-oral, incision-free endoluminal fundoplication procedure for treating severe gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was recently performed by Prof. Guy-Bernard Cadiere from the University of Brussels (Belgium).

“GERD is a serious disease and reflux more than three times a week or more than 20 times a year makes cancer 15 times more likely,” observed Prof. Cadiere. “About 10% of individuals with chronic GERD develop a precancerous condition, Barrett’s esophagus, and 10% of these progress to cancer.”

The new procedure involves inserting a device through the mouth and into the stomach to access and reconstruct the gastroesophageal valve, thereby preventing reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus and throat. To date, seven patients have been successfully treated with the new device and procedure. Currently, there are no effective methods of curing GERD without abdominal incisions and surgical manipulation of the stomach and esophagus. The new procedure was developed by EndoGastric Solutions, Inc. (EG, Redmond, WA, USA).

Other companies have tried to develop minimally invasive endoscopic approaches to GERD but none of their products worked very well because they did not increase the competence of the gastroesophageal valve and anti-reflex barrier, according to Dr. Cadiere.

“The important thing is that we are using proven techniques and methodologies, such as the manipulations of the gastroesophageal valve as they are performed during surgery, without cutting through the abdominal wall,” added Dr. Stefan Kraemer, chief medical officer of EG Solutions.