Researchers have launched an international study to improve surgery for patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD).
Known as the GOLF trial, it compares two types of surgery to help patients and surgeons choose the most effective approach for long-term relief with fewer side effects.
It is led by the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences in the UK.
When medications such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) do not work or cause side effects, surgery may be advised.
Currently, the standard procedure is fundoplication – wrapping the top part of the stomach around the lower end of the oesophagus.
This creates a bolster that tightens the valve between them, effectively preventing acid reflux. While it reduces reflux, it can cause problems, such as bloating and difficulty burping.
A newer alternative, known as the LINX procedure, uses a small ring of magnetic beads to support the valve between the stomach and oesophagus.
Early results suggest LINX may lead to fewer side effects, but there has never been a large-scale comparison of the two surgeries – until now.
The GOLF study involves 460 patients from the UK and Europe who suffer from ongoing GORD and haven’t responded to medication.
These patients will undergo either LINX or fundoplication surgery, with neither the patients nor the researchers assessing outcomes, knowing which treatment was received, to ensure unbiased results.
The effectiveness of each surgical approach will be closely monitored over two years.
Professor Sheraz R Markar, chief investigator and director of the Surgical Intervention Trials Unit at the University of Oxford, said: ‘This important international trial aims to improve the long-term health-related quality of life for patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease through comparison of two established surgical treatments: fundoplication and the LINX procedure. We are hugely excited to undertake this trial and define the gold standard surgical treatment for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.’
The trial is funded by the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme, a partnership between the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC).
