Affinity Medical Group surgeon performs incisionless surgery to treat heartburn in Fox Valley
02 / 28 / 2011
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Maria Nelson, Media Relations
Affinity Health System
(920) 720-1752
(920) 554-0686 (pager)
MENASHA, Wis. – Dr. Peter Janu, an Affinity Medical Group surgeon, now offers transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) procedure for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The TIF procedure, an innovative form of incisionless transoral natural orifice surgery, reconstructs the body's natural antireflux barrier.
"TIF procedure can significantly improve quality of life for our patients when medical therapy fails," said Dr. Janu. "Many reflux patients are unable to drink carbonated or caffeinated beverages or eat rich foods or fruit without triggering reflux. They also sleep sitting up to reduce nighttime reflux. After the TIF procedure, clinical trials show that most patients can eat and drink foods they avoided for many years. Reflux no longer impacts their life like it previously did."
Dr. Janu, a leader in the treatment of GERD, is now performing the procedure at Calumet Medical Center in Chilton and St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton.
"Recent studies of TIF have shown that the procedure can reduce patients’ dependency on medications, with 70 to 80 percent of patients remaining symptom free after two years and experiencing a dramatic improvement in their quality of life," said Dr. Janu. "We are very excited to be able to offer our patients who are not fully satisfied with treatment options an excellent alternative."
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For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a faith-based regional health care network, is the Fox Valley’s second-largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry. For the fourth consecutive year, Affinity has been named one of the nation’s top 64 health systems based on clinical performance according to Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve the cost and quality of health care. For ten consecutive years, Affinity Health System has been named to the SDI (formerly Verispan) Integrated Health Network Top 100, an annual assessment of the 100 most highly integrated health care networks in the nation. Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent of hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency, as determined by the 2007 Premier | CareScience Select practice National Quality Award. Members of Affinity include Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Health Foundation, Oshkosh; St. Elizabeth Hospital and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 25 family practice and specialty clinics – 22 of which are recognized as NCQA Level III medical homes, the highest level of recognition – in 14 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; and Affinity Occupational Health.