Nashville EsophyX GERD update

Posted 5.4.09 by David Leon

I am posting this blog to give those people in the Tennessee and Nashville area information on a new rapidly evolving technolgoy in natural orifice surgery, EsophyX or transoral incisionless surgery. Having launched multiple new medical technologies with several companies in the last 15 years you should expect at this stage in commercialization to have few if any Nashville physicians knowledgible about EsophyX.

It is a well know fact in the medical technology world that patient will usually prefer a less invasive procedure over a more invasive procedure. In this case really less invasive or invasiveless.

EsophyX is a new surgical device that is inserted into the esophagus to perfrom a trasoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) for GERD or reflux. The TIF procedure for GERD or reflux is safe with relatively minimal patient downtime, is entirely incisionless because the EsophyX device is introduced into the body through the mouth, rather than through an abdominal incision. The advantages of incisionless surgery over conventional laparoscopic or open GERD or reflux surgery include shorter hospital stay, reduced discomfort, shortened recovery, no visible scars, and typically higher satisfaction.

The EsophyX device works by forming a long, robust and tight antireflux valve at the gastroesophageal junction, the entrance from the esophagus into the stomach. This valve opens and closes as food is swallowed and becomes a physical barrier to reflux. By preventing reflux, (EsophyX) TIF eliminates both the acidic symptoms of reflux such as heartburn and sore throat and the other symptoms such as asthma, chronic cough, and regurgitation.

The only surgeon in Tennessee and the Nashville area performing TIF with the EsophyX device is Dr. Gutavo Huerto in Dickson, TN located just West of Nashville. As of this posting Dr. Huerta has performed 4 TIF procedures with EsophyX with good results. Do not expect your local physician or surgeon to know about the TIF procedure or ExophyX device. As with many new technologies there is currently little knowledge or understaning of the technology by the average physician. If you live in the Nashville area and would like more information on the procedure or how to get in touch with Dr. Hueta you may contact me directly via e mail. I will continue to update everyone in the Nashville area on the progress, adoption and availability of the exciting new procedure for GERD and reflux.

dleon@endogastricsolutions.com