Endoscopic therapy using radiofrequency ablation for esophageal dysplasia and carcinoma in Barrett's esophagus

Abstract

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a novel and promising treatment modality for treatment of Barrett's esophagus (BE) with high-grade dysplasia or early carcinoma. RFA can be used as a single-modality therapy for flat-type mucosa or as a supplementary therapy after endoscopic resection of visible abnormalities. The treatment protocol consists of initial circumferential ablation using a balloon-based electrode, followed by focal ablation of residual Barrett's epithelium. RFA is less frequently associated with stenosis and buried glandular mucosa as are other ablation techniques and has shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of patients with BE and early neoplasia. In this article, the technical background, current clinical experience, and future prospects of RFA are evaluated.