Endoscopic therapy for GERD: does it have a future?

Approximately 20% of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have symptoms refractory to long-term proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. Furthermore, PPI therapy is expensive. Fundoplication is considered the gold standard of GERD therapy in terms of normalization of esophageal acid exposure and symptom control; however, this exposes the patient to the risks of surgery and anesthesia. Therefore, an endoscopic approach to treating GERD that obviates the need for PPIs and avoids surgical morbidity is desirable. Several endoscopic methods have been used, including radiofrequency ablation, implantation of foreign substances as bulking agents, and various tissue apposition strategies. The emerging field of GERD endotherapy is promising, but more rigorous, sham-controlled, long-term studies are required to elucidate its exact role in clinical practice. This review discusses the evolution of these concepts, describes specific endoscopic devices that have been developed, and explores the future of endotherapies as viable treatment alternatives for GERD.