Barrett’s Esophagus (Halo)

If you take any medications to prevent blood clots, you should notify your physician as,
with the exception of aspirin, these are often held for a number of days prior to and after the procedure. You should not eat or drink after midnight before the procedure (though
if necessary, you may have small sips of water in the morning). Your doctor will tell you if you need to take your morning medications. Sedation is required so you will need a
driver.

While you are sedated, a device is inserted through the mouth into the esophagus and used to deliver a controlled level of energy to remove a thin layer of diseased tissue. Less than one second of energy removes tissue to a depth of about one millimeter. The ability to provide a controlled amount of heat to diseased tissue is one mechanism by which this therapy has a lower rate of complications than other forms of ablation therapy.

Some discomfort is common, particularly after the first ablation as the first treatment requires treating the largest amount of tissue. Your doctor will send you home with a prescription for pain medication and place you on a special diet for, in most cases, a few days. You will be continued on medication to suppress production of stomach acid. In six to eight weeks, the procedure will be repeated until all of the tissue is successfully ablated.

The HALO radiofrequency ablation procedure is considered very safe. Patients may experience minor side effects, such as chest discomfort and difficulty swallowing for several days after the procedure. As with any medical procedure, there are risks of more significant complication. Possible complications include anesthesia reactions, mucosal laceration, infection, narrowing of the esophagus and bleeding. Should you have any unexpected trouble after the procedure, please call us immediately.

After treatment, 98 percent of people are free of Barrett’s esophagus 30 months after two or three RFA treatments. Studies show that when the Barrett’s tissue is removed, it is typically replaced by normal, healthy tissue within three to four weeks. Recent five-year follow-up of longer trials shows that the effects of radiofrequency ablation are durable.