Circumferential epithelial radiofrequency ablation for Barrett's oesophagus
Summary
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Circumferential epithelial radiofrequency ablation for Barrett's oesophagus in December 2007.
NICE has reviewed this guidance and is reassessing the procedure. New guidance will be published as a result. Until the new guidance is published the NHS should continue to follow the recommendations in the guidance below.
The Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee has considered this procedure and NICE has now issued a consultation document about its safety and efficacy. This has been issued for 4 weeks public consultation until 5pm on 24th February 2010.
If you wish to comment on the consultation document please use the link at the bottom of this page.
NICE is committed to promoting through its guidance race and disability equality and equality between men and women, and to eliminating all forms of discrimination. One of the ways we do this is by trying to involve as wide a range of people and interest groups as possible in the development of our guidance on interventional procedures. In particular, we aim to encourage people and organisations from groups in the population who might not normally comment on our guidance to do so. We also ask consultees to highlight any ways in which draft guidance fails to promote equality or tackle discrimination and how it might be improved.
If you wish to be updated to any developments with this procedure, you can express an interest here.
Description
Barrett's oesophagus (Barrett's) is a condition characterised by an abnormal lining of the oesophagus, which occurs in patients with a long history of heartburn and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. In a minority of people Barrett's oesophagus may progress through a series of stages (dysplasia) to cancer.
Circumferential ablation, employs a balloon mounted coil a few centimetres in length on a probe inserted under endoscopic guidance into the targeted area of the oesophagus. They coil delivers a controlled emission of radiofrequency energy to ablate the tissue of the lining of the oesophagus to a thin depth. The probe is repositioned and further energy delivered in cases with large / long areas of Barrett's oesophagus. Repeat treatments may be necessary.
OPCS code:
Details
Association of upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons of GB and Ireland
British Society of Gastroenterology
Association of Cancer Physicians
Contact details:
(for general enquiries or comments)
(for procedure specific enquiries or comments)
ip@nice.org.uk
Interventional Procedures Programme
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
MidCity Place
71 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6NA
