The 13th Annual Conference of the Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy of India  (SGEI), Endocon 2012, in Kolkata India, featured live procedures of minimally invasive therapies, Secca for Bowel Control Disorder and Stretta for GERD. Both procedures were performed by Dr. Mark Noar, Director of Endoscopic Microsurgery Associates and the Bowel Control Disorder Center in Towson, Maryland. The conference was held April 26-29, 2012 and consisted of academic symposia, as well as live procedures performed at Apollo Gleneagles Hospital. The agenda was constructed based on membership feedback, which showed Secca and Stretta to be therapies of high interest to this physician community.

Dr. Noar shared the latest Stretta data, along with his more than 10 years of Stretta clinical experience at a symposium, and performed both Stretta and Secca procedures for a live audience of conference attendees. Dr. Noar said, “There is certainly an increase in both fecal incontinence and GERD in India.  There is upward mobility in society, with a growing middle class, and increased disposable income. This leads to obesity, increased consumption of caffeine and alcohol and stress, all causes of uncontrolled reflux.  India, is also a multiparous society, and with multiple births per woman, the risk of fecal incontinence increases directly”. “The procedures were enthusiastically received by the Indian GI community, who felt that the demonstrations made the procedures look easy enough to encourage adoption into normal practice and that the long term data was compelling”, said Dr. Noar.

“Dr. Noar’s presentation of both Stretta and Secca to the participants was widely appreciated by all.” said Dr. Mahesh K. Goenka, Secretary of SGEI and Director of the Institute of Gastrosciences at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata, India. “Since these were the first Stretta and Secca procedures in the country, it generated a lot of interest among the participants”, said Dr. Goenka.

Endocon 2012 was organized by the SGEI, along with the Kolkata Gastroenterologist Society, and the Indian Society of Gastroenterology West Bengal Chapter. The course was also endorsed by The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), and the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE).