Antireflux band mucosectomy: a novel minimally invasive approach for the treatment of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoscopic therapies in the treatment of refractory GERD have largely been regarded as inferior as surgical intervention. Procedures such as the transoral endoscopic incisionless fundoplication (TIF), Stretta, and antireflux mucosectomy (ARMS) are less invasive but produce outcomes that are middling to lackluster, with many patients having to continue proton pump therapy without resolution of symptoms. Antireflux band mucosectomy (ARBM), in which the cardia is banded, may provide more effective relief. We present 4 patients with refractory GERD who did not opt for surgical intervention and were successfully treated with the ARBM procedure. METHODS: Four patients with GERD refractory to medical therapy underwent ARBM. Three patients had nonerosive esophagitis and 1 patient had erosive esophagitis. Two patients had hiatal hernias ≤2 cm. All underwent preprocedure and postprocedure pH bravo testing as well as follow-up EGD. RESULTS: All cases were completed successfully. All patients underwent a decrease in DeMeester score and acid exposure time. Procedure time ranged from 6 to 15 minutes. There were no adverse events. All patients were taken off proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy by 4 weeks postprocedure. CONCLUSIONS: Four patients with refractory GERD who declined surgery underwent the ARBM procedure with technical success. All experienced significant decrease to complete resolution of symptoms. All patients were weaned off PPIs by 4 weeks postprocedure.