What Are the Risks of the Stretta Procedure for Heartburn and GERD?

All medical procedures carry risks and complications, and the Stretta procedure is no exception. In this video, surgery specialist James Rosser Jr., MD, explains some of the risks, including trouble swallowing, scarring, and esophageal perforation.

Transcript

00:00

As I talked to Dr. Oz, and I said on his show,

00:06

look, let's keep it real. If a procedure is being done on you, look, this is serious. And all procedures have risk and complications.

00:17

When we look at the Stretta procedure, it has similar complications-- possibilities-- as you do with other forms of surgery,

00:24

like the laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication, you can actually have trouble swallowing. In other words, you can do your job too well,

00:32

and have the muscle-- the lower esophageal sphincter be too strong. Also, when you apply the energy, you

00:39

have to worry about scarring. Because with the scarring, it can actually tighten down that strategic area between your food tube and your stomach,

00:47

and it could cause a stricture, and therefore you won't be able to swallow well. And rarely, you can have what we call an esophageal perforation.

00:57

What does that mean? Well, whenever you have to put something down the food tube, a foreign object like an endoscope,

01:05

there's a possibility it could actually go through the entire wall of the esophagus.

01:12

And of course, that would cause infection that would have to have a surgical procedure. But the good thing is, these complications

01:20

are few and far between, looking at all the academic reports. And you know what, if you want more information,

01:28

please talk to your doctor so you are thoroughly educated on how many they've done, what their complication rates are,

01:35

and how successful their procedure has been with their patients.