A Western Perspective on "New NOTES" from POEM to Full-thickness Resection and Beyond

Abstract

Most new natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery procedures originated in Asia; therefore, most data come from operators and a health care environment different from those in the West. We provide a Western perspective. We discuss East-West differences; review areas in which the United States is leading the way; and discuss the vagaries of coding and reimbursement. In the United States, reimbursement remains problematic. A Current Procedural Terminology code for peroral endoscopic myotomy is inevitable given the rapidly accumulating overwhelmingly positive outcomes data. However, coordinated efforts may help accelerate the process.

Keywords: Endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR); GERD; New NOTES; Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM); Peroral pyloromyotomy (POP); Reflux esophagitis; Reimbursement; Submucosal tunnel endoscopic resection (STER).