Endoscopic treatment of gastroesophageal reflux: a narrative review

Abstract

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common chronic disease that affects one-third of the population worldwide. The reflux of gastric contents in contact with the epithelium of the esophagus causes injury and symptoms associated with GERD. In recent years, there have been significant advances in terms of diagnosis and the type of treatment used in patients, which leads to better identification of injuries and complications that may exist. The mainstay of therapy has been proton pump inhibitor (PPI) based pharmacological therapy and lifestyle and dietary modifications. When patients are refractory to medical treatment, the gold-standard treatment is anti-reflux procedures, such as Nissen 360-degree fundoplication and the Toupet partial fundoplication. Medical and surgical treatment have long-term complications. Currently, there are endoscopic procedures that may be options for the treatment of patients with GERD. In this review, endoscopic techniques for the treatment of GERD will be addressed.