Ablation Therapy of the Esophagus

What is Radio Frequency Ablation Therapy?

Physicians at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, are using radio frequency ablation therapy to treat Barrett's Esophagus, caused by long-term gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Physicians believe that most cases of esophageal cancer begin in Barrett's tissue.

The Halo procedure consists of ablative therapy to the patient's esophagus, thereby removing the diseased tissue and allowing new, healthy tissue to regrow. This allows for effective treatment of large areas of Barrett's esophagus. More important, it can remove precancerous lesions from the esophagus and alleviates the anxiety that accompanies such a diagnosis.

Ablation therapy has been used with high efficacy in Barrett's esophagus and in flat precancerous lesions. It is identical to an upper endoscopy and can be performed in under 30 minutes.

The use of the Halo procedure at Rush University Medical Center has been featured in a number of news stories which are listed below:

• ABC HealthBeat video and story on Halo procedure, "Helping Heartburn," January 10, 2008
• Chicago Tribune, "Dismissing Indigestion Can Be a Serious Mistake," December 30, 2007
• Chicago Sun-Times, "Turning Up the Heat," September 11, 2007

Compared to an esophagectomy, radio frequency ablation therapy is far less invasive, and more than 75 percent of patients who received ablation were Barrett's free after one to two treatment sessions. Additionally, 98.4 percent of patients continue to be free of Barrett's after more than two and a half years.

For more information about the procedure, or its effectiveness, you may check out Barrx Medical's Web site.

For more information, or to make an appointment, please call (312) 942-5861.

Return to Interventional Endoscopy home page

Return to Gastroenterology and Nutrition home page

Last updated 6/10.