Mucosal ablation devices

APC and MPEC are widely available efficacious methods of treating a variety of superficial bleeding and neoplastic lesions. Use of these methods in the ablation of BE has yielded mixed results, with a very limited number of large series. The radiofrequency balloon ablation device has a very low rate of complications, ablates a large field with uniform depth, and appears efficacious in ablating HGD. The significant risk of recurrent dysplasia after any endoscopic therapy for BE requires close surveillance. Cryotherapy may become a viable alternative method of tissue ablation, but, more data, especially comparative data, are needed. Compared with other ablative techniques, lasers are more difficult to use, have a lower safety threshold, and are now uncommonly used. © 2008 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.