The purpose of this pilot clinical study is to evaluate the feasibility and safety of an innovative endoscopic treatment for adults with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that does not respond adequately to standard medications. The study focuses on the anti-reflux barrier between the esophagus and the stomach, which fails in patients with GERD. Instead of traditional surgery, this study explores a minimally invasive approach: injecting a specialized mixture of the patient's own fat-derived cells-known as the Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF)-directly into the tissue at the esophagogastric junction during a standard endoscopy. The study is trying to answer two primary questions: Is it clinically feasible and safe to harvest, process, and endoscopically inject autologous SVF cells to support the anti-reflux barrier? Can this cell-based intervention help repair the tissue and improve the mechanical function of the barrier, allowing patients to reduce or completely stop their daily reliance on proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)? By answering these questions in a small group of 15 participants, this pilot trial aims to provide the foundational data necessary to design larger clinical studies in the future.
Adults 18-75 years; actionable GERD per Lyon 2.0 (e.g., AET >6% off therapy; or LA grade B-D, peptic stricture, Barrett's) and compatible symptoms. [2]
Refractory symptoms on optimized PPIs or PPI-dependent disease where intervention is contemplated. [2]
HRM excluding major motility disorders (per Chicago v4.0). [21]
Willing to undergo adipose harvest and autologous SVF therapy within a clinical trial framework.
Hiatal hernia >3 cm or paraesophageal hernia; severe esophagitis with ulcers (grade B or more); Barrett's with dysplasia; strictures; achalasia/EGJOO/spastic disorders. [2,21]
Coagulopathy, uncontrolled cardiopulmonary disease, pregnancy/lactation.
Active infection/malignancy significant for increased risk, at PI discretion.
Prior fundoplication or magnetic sphincter augmentation within 12 months.
Single group
Autologous Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) Endoscopic Injection
Procedure/SurgeryThis intervention is characterized by the localized, circumferential delivery of a point-of-care, autologous cell mixture derived from adipose tissue, distinguished by the following specific methodological parameters: Mechanical Processing (ELEA Method) - unlike chemical enzymatic digestion or standard centrifugation, the harvested fat is processed using purely mechanical activation via a Digital Vortex Mixer at 2000 rpm for exactly 8 minutes to separate the Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF)-rich activated fat fraction. Emulsification - the isolated activated fat fraction is emulsified by mechanical passage through a dedicated 2 mm filter before being loaded into a 19-gauge endoscopic injection needle. Anatomical Site and Delivery - the cell-rich cushion is injected submucosally and symmetrically across four quadrants at the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), precisely 0.5 to 1 cm above the squamocolumnar junction, to physically and biologically augment the anti-reflux barrier.
Feasibility of autologous Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) harvesting, processing, and endoscopic delivery
The proportion of participants who successfully undergo the entire procedural workflow without major protocol deviations. This includes successful mini-subcutaneous adipose tissue harvesting, GMP-compliant mechanical processing via the ELEA method, and symmetric endoscopic submucosal injection at the esophagogastric junction.
Incidence of procedure- and product-related adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs)
Safety will be assessed by recording the frequency, severity, and cumulative incidence of all local and systemic adverse events. This includes specific monitoring for bleeding, perforation, infection, chest pain, dysphagia, stricture formation, mediastinitis, ectopic nodules, or neoplastic changes at the esophagogastric junction.
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