Barrx® Treatment for Barrett's Esophagus
Cedars-Sinai's Esophageal Program offers treatment using the Barrx Ablation system for those diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus. A minimally invasive procedure employed, either as an initial or follow-up treatment of Barrett's esophagus, in which a surgeon inserts either an expanding balloon catheter device for circumferential lesions or a focal endoscopic mounted device for spot lesions into a sedated patient's esophagus.
The balloon is inflated and then radio frequency is delivered over 60 individual bands tightly spaced over the balloon. The radio waves precisely and uniformly destroy suspect tissue in the esophagus. The surgeon can visually closely monitor the procedure, ensuring accuracy. The procedure takes about 30 minutes.
About three million Americans have Barrett's esophagus and they face a risk of developing esophageal cancer or adenocarcinoma that is 125 times higher than the general population. There are other treatment options for Barrett's esophagus, but these therapies are experimental, can only be tried under special circumstances, and often not as effective as Barrx.
