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New treatment for GERD gives patient a strong voice

A registered nurse in cardiac rehabilitation, Pat Davies, RN needs a strong voice to get through all the talking she needs to do on any given day. Working closely with patients who have had heart attacks or cardiac surgery, Pat is their teacher and counselor, providing one-on-one education to help them recover and adopt a heart healthy lifestyle.

“I need a strong voice. I'm talking all day long,” says Pat, who thoroughly enjoys her job. Three years ago, however, Pat began to experience increasing symptoms of Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), a condition she was diagnosed with in 1995. “Many people with GERD have heartburn and regurgitation,” says Pat. “My symptoms primarily involved hoarseness, voice breaks and burning in the back of my throat. I'd also have coughing attacks. My ability to speak was very compromised. It was pretty scary.”

“GERD is a common condition involving an abnormal backflow of acid into the esophagus,” says Nimish Vakil, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Aurora Health Center in Slinger. A nationally-known expert on acid
reflux disease, he explains that most cases of GERD can be effectively treated with lifestyle changes, medications or surgery. “While we have effective therapy available for GERD, one of the problems is that it works for a lot of people but not for everybody,” says Dr. Vakil.

Pat tried everything over the years to control her condition – speech therapy, diet and lifestyle changes, taking the maximum dosage of the best medication available, even raising the head of her bed six inches. “Despite all that I did, my symptoms kept getting worse,” she says. “Acid reflux affected my job… my entire life. I was always concerned about what I could and couldn't eat and when I could eat. I no longer enjoyed gardening because every time I bent over I'd get heartburn. Even exercising was becoming a problem. It was horrible.”

A new treatment

That all changed when Pat underwent a new treatment for GERD called “Enteryx” that is being offered on a trial basis by Dr. Vakil. The endoscopic procedure, which Dr. Vakil helped pioneer, involves the injection of a liquid into the sphincter muscle where it forms a permanent implant to stiffen the sphincter and create a barrier to prevent the backflow of acid into the esophagus. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, takes approximately 35 minutes and involves conscious sedation. Most patients are able to return to work within a few days.

For Pat, returning to work was the best part of having the treatment. Within six weeks, she felt fully recovered, with the voice she needs to teach. Now one year later, Pat is happy to report that she's completely
off prescription medications, has returned to normal eating patterns and all the activities she enjoys. “The quality of my life has significantly improved,” she says.

Dr. Vakil performed Pat's procedure as part of a 300-patient controlled study. The procedure is FDA approved, but insurance coverage varies with each health care policy.

For more information or an appointment

For more information about Enteryx and other treatments for acid reflux disease or to make an appointment with Dr. Vakil at Aurora Health Center in Slinger, call 262-644-2900.