One of 10 people with chronic heartburn caused by acid reflux disease does not achieve adequate relief from prescription medications. Now there is a new option available in Northwest Florida that provides relief with a minimally invasive outpatient procedure.

Sacred Heart Hospital’s Center for Digestive Care is the first hospital in the region to offer a non-surgical procedure called Stretta for treatment of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the condition that causes chronic heartburn. Dr. Norman Haines, a gastroenterologist on the staff at Sacred Heart, performed the area’s first Stretta procedure on Oct. 22.

“Multiple clinical studies have shown that the Stretta procedure can reduce GERD symptoms, reduce acid exposure in the esophagus, and reduce the patient’s need for ongoing drug therapy to control symptoms,” said Dr. Haines. “This procedure has been performed for almost four years at university medical centers. About 75 percent of Stretta patients have no reflux symptoms after the procedure and have no need for medication.

Another 10-15 percent have reduced symptoms and less need for medication.”

Fourteen million adults in the U.S. suffer from daily, significant heartburn symptoms. GERD is a condition in which acid and enzymes “reflux” backward

from the stomach into the esophagus through a poorly functioning valve, called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This sphincter muscle should act as a one-way valve that allows food to pass from the esophagus into the stomach. In patients with GERD, this valve also allows stomach acid to move back up into the esophagus.

Reflux can cause a wide range of symptoms, including persistent heartburn, pain when swallowing, chronic cough or sore throat, belching, choking episodes at night, and regurgitation.

Medication provides relief of symptoms, but the patient may be required to take the medication for a lifetime. The new Stretta procedure is an option for persons who find that medication and lifestyle changes do not work. The procedure also may help those who don’t want to take the medications because of side effects, or those who simply cannot afford them.

Stretta is an endoscopic procedure that involves passing a flexible catheter through the patient’s mouth to deliver radiofrequency energy to the lower esophagus. The procedure causes the sphincter to tighten, and as it slowly heals, the muscle develops scar tissue that bulks up the sphincter and improves its function as a one-way valve.

The procedure takes about one hour. Most patients go home approximately 1-2 hours after the procedure and typically resume normal activities the following day. Most patients see improvement in their symptoms within a month, but it may take up to a year for the procedure to produce its full benefit.

“If over-the-counter medications have not worked and you are not achieving good control of your symptoms on prescription medications, you may be a good candidate for this minimally invasive procedure,” Dr. Haines said.

To learn more about this treatment, please contact Sacred Heart Hospital at (850) 416-1600 or on the web, visit the Stretta web site.

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