Efficacy and Safety of Cryoablation in Barrett’s Esophagus and Comparison with Radiofrequency Ablation: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: The mainstay approach in endoscopic eradication therapy (EET) for dysplastic Barrett's esophagus (BE) includes the endoscopic resection of visible lesions, accompanied by ablation of the residual metaplastic epithelium. Cryoablation therapy is one such emerging ablation technique in this field. This systematic review with a meta-analysis aims to accumulate pooled data on cryoablation performance in the treatment of patients with BE and to compare this technique to the standard of care radiofrequency ablation (RFA). METHODS: The MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Scopus databases were searched until June 2024 for studies evaluating BE management using cryoablation for cumulative results. The primary outcome was the complete eradication of dysplasia (CED) and intestinal metaplasia (CEIM) in BE compared to RFA, while secondary outcomes included the respective pooled rates using cryoablation, recurrence, and adverse events, with a separate analysis for strictures. The meta-analyses were based on a random-effects model, and the results were reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses by type of cryoablation were also performed. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies (1604 patients) were finally included, four of which were comparative. CED and CEIM did not differ significantly between cryoablation and RFA OR= 0.95 (95%CI: 0.50-1.81) and OR = 0.57 (95%CI: 0.20-1.63), respectively). The pooled rates of CED, CEIM, and recurrence after cryoablation were 84.2% (95%CI: 79.1-89.3), 64.1% (95%CI: 49.2-79.0), and 8.3% (95%CI: 4.7-11.9), accompanied by high rates of heterogeneity. Adverse events were noted in 14.5% (95%CI: 9.9-19.2) of cases, and 6.5% (95%CI: 4.1-9.0) developed strictures. In the subgroup analysis, the cryoballoon achieved a reduction in heterogeneity in CED, adverse events, and stricture formation, whereas spray catheters provided homogenous results in terms of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Cryoablation provides equal outcomes compared to RFA in the treatment of patients with BE, with the cryoballoon achieving relatively homogenous rates of CED and adverse events.