Healthcare professional discussing barrx and cryospray ablation to patient

Uses

BARRX and CryoSpray Ablation are procedures used to eliminate abnormal cells in the esophagus known as Barrett’s Esophagus. Barrett’s Esophagus is a pre-cancerous condition affecting the lining of the esophagus, which is the tube that carries food from the mouth into the stomach.

Leading to Barrett’s Esophagus is a condition called GERD. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a disorder in which stomach contents flow back up into the esophagus and cause injury to the esophageal lining.

In some patients with GERD, the normal esophagus cells are damaged. Over time, this damage can result in inflammation and genetic changes that cause the cells to become abnormal. The tissue takes on a different appearance and is called intestinal metaplasia or Barrett’s Esophagus.

Barrett’s Esophagus increases the risk for a patient to develop esophageal cancer. Patients with Barrett’s Esophagus should have periodic endoscopic evaluation with biopsies looking for a condition called dysplasia, which places them at even higher risk for the development of esophageal cancer.

Procedure

Some patients with dysplasia may be candidates to have an endoscopic procedure called ablation to remove the diseased tissue to avoid progression to cancer. BARRX is a procedure performed during upper endoscopy to ablate (or coagulate) abnormal Barrett’s tissue by heating it until it is no longer viable or alive. Cryospray Ablation is a procedure performed during upper endoscopy. This technique removes unwanted tissue by freezing it with a spray of liquid nitrogen.

Conditions Treated

Doctor Sharing Test Results

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