Outcomes After Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) Following Successful Endoscopic Ablation for Barrett's Esophagus

June 11, 2026 updated by: Johns Hopkins University

Outcomes After Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) Following Successful Endoscopic Ablation for Barrett's Esophagus: A Pilot Study

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a precancerous lesion characterized by the replacement of the normal stratified squamous epithelium of the distal esophagus by intestinal metaplasia (IM). Non-dysplastic BE may progress to low-grade dysplasia (LGD), to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Endoscopic ablation is safe and effective for complete eradication of BE. However, recurrence is common. Cumulative incidence rate of BE recurrence is up to 30% in the third year. Thus, achieving complete eradication of IM, patients should undergo surveillance indefinitely with serial endoscopy to assess for recurrence of BE. In addition, BE patients have been committed to life-long proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, but increasing concerns about adverse effects has led to alternative therapies. Studies have showed that laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication may decrease recurrence of BE after endoscopic ablation. Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) is an endoscopic procedure that mechanically creates fundoplication similar to traditional operative Nissen fundoplication. The role of TIF in patients with BE whom underwent successful endoscopic ablation has not been fully investigated.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Enrolling by invitation

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
50

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21224
        • Saowanee Ngamruengphong

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with history Barrett's esophagus who have resolution of Barrett's mucosa after endoscopic ablation.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 - 75 years
  • Known prior diagnosis of histologically-confirmed BE with or without dysplasia (as defined by the presence of specialized columnar epithelium anywhere in the tubular esophagus with >= 1 cm of circumferential involvement or non-circumferential involvement of specialized columnar epithelium) [Prague class >1] and history of initial complete eradication-IM following endoscopic ablation for Barrett's esophagus.
  • Documentation of complete ablation of BE by endoscopy and histology after radiofrequency or cryotherapy ablation on two endoscopic examinations at least 3 months apart, within most recent endoscopy performed within 6 months. Pathologic diagnosis determined by the expert pathologist at each site.
  • On PPI therapy, who opt for an intervention over lifelong drug dependence.
  • Hiatal hernia ≤ 2 cm or Hill grade < 2 [unless patients undergoing combined TIF and hiatal hernia repair]
  • Abnormal esophageal acid exposure [Percent esophageal acid exposure time > 6% defined by Bravo ph monitoring (48 - 96 hours study)
  • Able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Age < 18 or > 75 years
  • Inability to provide informed consent

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
post-ablation Barrett's patients
The patients with known prior diagnosis of histologically-confirmed Barrett's esophagus with or without dysplasia who have documentation of complete remission of Barrett's esophagus by endoscopy and histology after endoscopic ablation
Device: TIF
Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) is an endoscopic procedure that mechanically creates fundoplication similar to traditional operative Nissen fundoplication. The role of TIF in patients with BE whom underwent successful endoscopic ablation has not been fully investigated.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percentage of participants with normal esophageal acid exposure time
Time Frame: 6 months
Normal esophageal acid exposure time is 6 percent or less.
6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percentage of participants that are able to discontinue PPI post TIF
Time Frame: 6 months
Percentage of participants that are able to discontinue PPI post TIF will be assessed at 6 months.
6 months
Incidence of esophagitis post-TIF
Time Frame: 6 months
The presence of esophagitis on upper endoscopy.
6 months
Proportion of patients with recurrence of BE and BE-related dysplasia
Time Frame: Up to 36 months
Proportion of patients with recurrence of BE and BE-related dysplasia will be assessed up to 36 months.
Up to 36 months
Number of TIF-related serious adverse events
Time Frame: Up to 36 months
Treatment related serious adverse events (SAEs) including hospitalization, unscheduled emergency room or physician visits for post-TIF symptoms), bloating, dysphagia.
Up to 36 months
Change in quality of life as assessed by the GERD-Health-related quality of life Questionnaire
Time Frame: Baseline, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months
The GERD-Health-related quality of life (HRQL) Questionnaire has an overall score range of 0 to 75. Each item is scored from 0 to 5, with a higher score indicating worse symptoms and poorer quality of life.
Baseline, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months
Change in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) symptoms assessed by the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI)
Time Frame: Baseline, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months
The RSI is a nine-item self-administered outcome questionnaire designed to document reflux symptoms and severity. Each item is scored on a scale of 0 (no problem) to 5 (severe problem), with overall score ranging between 0 and 45. Higher scores mean more severe symptoms. RSI > 13 may be indicative of significant reflux disease.
Baseline, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Johns Hopkins University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Saowanee Ngamruengphong, Johns Hopkins University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 7, 2018

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 7, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 7, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 30, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 30, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 7, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 15, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 11, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB00164823

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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