Electrical stimulation therapy (EST) for treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is not recommended for inclusion into benefit catalogue in Austria

Electric stimulation therapy (EST) represents a novel method for the surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). There is currently only one EST on the market, the EndoStim® LES Stimulator developed by EndoStim Inc. In Austria, EST is not reimbursed by Austrian Health care system, and there is one center where the EST is available. The expected annual number of EST procedures is about 100 interventions in Austria.

In 2017, the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute – Health Technology Assessment (LBI-HTA) assessed EST in relation to its efficacy and safety in patients with moderate to severe GERD. For this purpose, a systematic literature review of the available evidence was conducted.

In accordance with results of the search, there are only two single-arm prospective case series studies and one prospective registry for EST. No conclusions can be drawn due to an insufficient level of evidence. Therefore, EST is not currently recommended for inclusion into the benefit catalogue. However, further re-evaluation of EST is recommended in 2022 when results from one randomized controlled trial (NCT02749071) are available. This clinical study will investigate efficacy and safety of EndoStim® device in 110 patients. The completion date is planned in December of 2021.

See full report in German here.

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