the results it produces. As with TIF, there's going to be a learning
curve, and the quality of the results is likely to correspond with the
provider's experience and expertise.
EndoStim
The hottest new kid on the block is still probably 2 or 3 years
away from approval. The EndoStim device, which is similar to a pace-
maker, is implanted in the abdomen and consists of a stimulator and 2
electrodes that stimulate the lower part of the esophagus. It's pro-
grammed to deliver low-energy personalized neurostimulation, which
patients typically can't feel, but which restores normal esophageal func-
tion. The device is about as big as a box of matches. EndoStim looks
very promising, having been tested in Europe and South America for
the last 3 years, and, once approved, is likely to be the easiest of the
procedures to perform.
OSM
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8 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • A U G U S T 2 0 1 6
Dr. Fass (ronnie.fass@gmail.com) is the director of the Division of
Gastroenterology and Hepatology and head of the Esophageal and Swallowing
Center at the MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. A professor of medicine at
Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, he was named the world's leading
expert in the research and treatment of GERD by expertscape.com
