Mederi sponsored a great booth presentation at this SAGES meeting. During the presentation, Stretta was introduced as a safe and effective treatment for chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in bariatric patients during the SAGES Welcome Reception Wednesday evening, April 15, 2015. The presentation was led by Dana Portenier, MD, Program Director of Duke Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at Duke University Medical Center. Duke has introduced Stretta Therapy into their program to treat bariatric patients, whose altered anatomies limit their treatment options when chronic GERD symptoms are present post-bariatric procedures. Because Stretta is non-surgical, delivered through the mouth, and does not alter the anatomy, it is an ideal treatment option to provide relief from GERD symptoms in the bariatric patient. It is an alternative that permits further surgery if necessary, and leaves the gastric sleeve or Roux-En-Y anatomy unaffected.
In addition, data from a recently published animal study that defined the mechanism of action for both Stretta and Secca therapies, was presented. 

The Key is How NARF Works

A recent animal study published online in Colorectal Disease, showed that the effect of radiofrequency at the levels delivered by Stretta and Secca to the smooth muscle of the GI tract, is non-ablative and actually improves and regenerates the structure of the muscle. These findings may explain why these therapies are so versatile and have value for both standard and difficult to treat patients.

Dr. Steven Wexner, Director of the Digestive Disease Center and Chairman of the Department of Colorectal Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Florida, presented clinical data on Secca therapy for fecal incontinence, and Dr. Mariana Berho, Director of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Center and of the Center for Research at Cleveland Clinic Florida presented findings from this randomized animal study that examined the impact of non-ablative radiofrequency (NARF) on smooth muscle at the cellular level. 

SAGES 2015 – STRETTA FOR BARIATRIC GERD PRESENTATION
http://youtu.be/8JqNvg5TRJ8
SAGES 2015 – SECCA FOR FECAL INCONTINENCE PRESENTATION
http://youtu.be/PPCESTDabr0
SAGES 2015 – MECHANISM OF NARF PRESENTATION
http://youtu.be/BnVq5nYeil4