Four gastroenterology leaders spoke with Becker's ASC Review on the surgical technique that has had the most significant impact on their practice:
Editor's note: These responses were edited lightly for clarity and brevity.
Paul Dambowy, MD. CMO of MNGI Digestive Health (Minneapolis): The most novel technique would be endoscopic mucosal stripping with cold snare of medium-to-large colon polyps. This has led to a significant decrease in complications such as post-polypectomy bleeding, post-polypectomy electrocoagulation syndrome and hospitalizations.
Kenneth Wang, MD. Director of Mayo Clinic's Advanced Endoscopy Group and Esophageal Neoplasia Clinic (Rochester, Minn.): Endoscopic resection. The treatment of early GI cancers has totally changed with endoscopic resection being the preferred method. Endoscopic myotomy has also changed the landscape for treatment of achalasia, with surgical myotomy becoming less common.
Brian Dooreck, MD. Gastrointestinal Diagnostic Centers and the Memorial Healthcare System (Miami): As more and more patients are interested in stopping chronic medical therapy with proton pump inhibitors, endoscopic therapy for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease is evolving. Patients are also looking for alternatives to traditional antireflux surgery. In my opinion, gastroenterologists need a better understanding of the therapeutic options, besides surgical intervention, to patients who cannot or do not wish to take chronic PPI medications for GERD.