New surgery for GERD offers faster recovery time

DALLAS, Texas (NBC NEWS) - There's a new treatment for people with severe "GERD" or chronic stomach acid.

Doctors at UT Southwestern in Dallas are easing the pain for patients and cutting the downtime in half.

Cathy Kautzer is one of the millions of Americans who suffers with acid reflux or GERD.

"I ended up a couple of times in the emergency room thinking it was a heart attack," said Kautzer.

Diagnosed with "Barrett’s esophagus," a condition caused from ongoing heartburn, her symptoms were unbearable.

"I never realized that if your digestive system isn't functioning, it makes you feel bad all over," said Kautzer.

Cathy avoided the typical surgery.

Doctor Jayaprakash Sree, a G.I. specialist at UT Southwestern performed this new method.

"What we offer is a minimally invasive tool, an endoscope going through the mouth and down the esophagus. We actually use liquid nitrogen to spray on the affected areas, which can actually kill those bad cells," said Dr. Sree.

In 40 minutes, the bad cells are gone and new cells can begin to grow.

The best part is the short recovery.

"We did the procedure on Monday and I went to work on Wednesday, so there wasn't a lot of down time at all," said Kautzer.

The Food and Drug Administration approved this new therapy.