Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication or TIF Strengthens Stomach Valve

For years, 45-year-old Tom Poss suffered the effects of severe acid reflux. Despite taking the maximum dosage of medication, he still had coughing spells and trouble swallowing some liquids.

“My doctor told me I had severe acid reflux and it just wasn’t getting better. The symptoms were really affecting my life,” he said.

His physician referred him to Nik Sekhar, MD, of Surgical Associates at Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah to get his opinion on a course of action. Dr. Sekhar offered Poss a new, incision-free procedure that could provide relief. “I was game for it,” Poss said.

During Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF), the patient is put under general anesthesia. The surgeon places a tube down the patient’s throat and is able to perform the entire surgery, which strengthens the LES valve on top of the stomach, without any making any incisions, Dr. Sekhar said.

“For some patients, TIF resolves all of their reflux symptoms while others still need to take some of their heartburn medication,” said Dr. Sekhar. “The best thing about this procedure is that there are no surgical incisions and the recovery process is more rapid.”

During TIF, the surgeon uses tools to grab the LES value and pull down a piece of the stomach that is then folded onto itself and stapled. The same process happens around the valve to strengthen it.

After the procedure, patients typically have stay overnight in the hospital and can resume normal activities in a couple of days.

Over 15 million Americans suffer heartburn every day. When the symptoms become chronic, heartburn is referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Traditional treatment for GERD includes changes in your diet and lifestyle along with a lifetime of medication use to decrease symptoms and prevent GERD causing damage to your esophagus, throat, mouth and even lungs.

Dr. Sekhar said he’s excited to offer TIF to patients since it’s the first incisionless surgery that’s as good as conventional laparoscopic surgery. “It’s really a great option for patients who aren’t responding to daily or twice daily antacid medicine,” he said.

Poss had his surgery earlier this spring and can already feel the difference. “I’ve been amazed with how things are going,” he said. “I’m a pretty active guy and I didn’t want to be laid up a long time with surgery so this was a great option for me.”

An estimated 80 percent of patients no longer have to take their heartburn medication once they’ve healed after the surgery.

Theda Clark Medical Center is a 166-bed acute care hospital founded in 1909. In addition to general medical and surgical care, specialized services include a birth center, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin - Fox Valley, the region’s only American College of Surgeons Verified Level II Trauma Center, the Aylward Outpatient Surgery Center and ThedaStar Air Medical Helicopter. Theda Clark Medical Center also offers comprehensive neuroscience care and the Theda Clark Stroke Center was the first stroke center in Northeast Wisconsin to be certified as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission. The Bariatric Program at Theda Clark, along with Midwest Bariatric Solutions and its surgeons, have jointly received two Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designations by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.

ThedaCare™ is a community health system consisting of five hospitals: Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center, New London Family Medical Center, Shawano Medical Center, and Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca. ThedaCare also includes ThedaCare Physicians, ThedaCare Behavioral Health, and ThedaCare at Home. ThedaCare is the largest employer in Northeast Wisconsin with more than 6,175 employees. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information, media may contact Megan Wilcox, APR, (megan.wilcox@thedacare.org), public relations and corporate specialist for ThedaCare, at (920) 830-5847, or call the Theda Clark Medical Center switchboard at (920) 729-3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.