▁Missouri , ▁and ▁Amsterdam , ▁Netherlands . ▁ ▁Te chni que ▁▁ ▁End o St im ▁ther apy ▁directly ▁targets ▁the ▁weak ▁lower ▁es oph age al ▁s ph inct er ▁( LES ) ▁mus cle , ▁without ▁alter ing ▁an atom y ▁or ▁using ▁mechanical ▁constraints . ▁End o St im ' s ▁propriet ary ▁technology ▁uses ▁functional ▁elect rical ▁stim ulation ▁( a ▁type ▁of ▁neur om od ulation ) ▁to ▁restore ▁es oph age al ▁function , ▁thereby ▁reducing ▁G ER D ▁sympt oms . ▁T iny ▁p uls es ▁of ▁electric ▁current ▁are ▁delivered ▁to ▁the ▁L ES ▁without ▁causing ▁any ▁sens ation . ▁ ▁The ▁impl ant able ▁pul se ▁generator ▁( IP G ) ▁and ▁b ip olar ▁lead ▁deliver ▁ther apy ▁to ▁the ▁lower ▁es oph age al ▁s ph inct er . ▁The ▁IP G ▁is ▁a ▁small ▁device ▁similar ▁to ▁a ▁pac em aker ▁and ▁is ▁impl anted ▁under ▁the ▁skin ▁of ▁the ▁ab d omen . ▁The ▁lead ▁connect s ▁two ▁electro des ▁from ▁the ▁IP G ▁to ▁the ▁es oph ag us . ▁Both ▁the ▁IP G ▁and ▁lead ▁are ▁placed ▁la par os cop ically ▁through ▁a ▁short , ▁minim ally - in vas ive ▁procedure ▁under ▁general ▁an est hes ia . ▁ ▁The ▁impl ant ation ▁procedure ▁last s ▁approximately ▁ 4 0 ▁minutes , ▁and ▁involves ▁att aching ▁two ▁small ▁electro des ▁from ▁the ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁lower ▁es oph ag us . ▁The ▁lead ▁is ▁brought ▁out