The HALO Ablative System treats large areas of Barrett’s esophageal tissue with a HALO Ablation Catheter alongside an endoscope (top illustration). Smaller areas are treated with a catheter mounted into the endoscope (bottom illustration).

Loma Linda University Medical Center Gastroenterology Department is using a non-surgical treatment that may help lessen the risk for developing esophageal cancer for patients. The HALO Ablative System, developed by BARRX Medical Inc, a privately held company in Sunnyvale, CA, treats the condition called Barrett’s Esophagus, an abnormality of the (usually) lower esophagus in which normal mucous cells are replaced by changed cells. The condition is often a prelude to cancer.

Radiofrequency ablation with the HALO System is a non-surgical procedure performed on an outpatient basis with the patient sedated but conscious. The treatment involves inserting a HALO Ablation Catheter into the esophagus; the catheter is used by the physician to deliver a controlled level of heat energy to remove the unwanted tissue down to a uniform and confined depth.

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine finds endoscopic ablation therapy is highly effective at eliminating potentially cancerous cells associated with Barrett’s Esophagus.