To examine current trends and research in nonmedical approaches to the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Long-term studies of GERD patients treated with transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) have found that a large portion of patients resume proton pump inhibitor therapy. In patients with uncomplicated GERD, magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) shows excellent short-term results in both patient satisfaction and physiologic measures of GERD, with fewer postoperative side-effects than fundoplication, although dysphagia can be problematic. Fundoplication remains the standard of care for patients with GERD complicated by hiatal hernias more than 2 cm, Barrett's esophagus and/or grade C and D erosive esophagitis. For the patient with uncomplicated GERD, MSA appears to be a viable alternative that has greater technical standardization and fewer postoperative side-effects than fundoplication. TIF remains an option for patients with refractory GERD who refuse surgical intervention.