Wireless Reflux Test
Chronic indigestion is among the top medical problems in the country, and now there is a new test that makes the diagnosis painless.
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THERE'S MORE GOING ON HERE THAN MEETS THE EYE. IT'S A TINY TRANSMITTER INSIDE LORI LASSETTER'S BODY. AS SHE EATS, IT DETECTS ANY SIGNS OF THE SERIOUS DIGESTIVE DISORDER SHE DEVELOPED SIX YEARS AGO.
C. Daniel Smith, M.D.
Gastrointestinal Surgeon
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
"So, all of these devices sense or measure the amount of acid that actually percolates up from the stomach into the esophagus."
WITH THE OLDER TEST, A NARROW TUBE RUNS UP THE NOSE AND DOWN THE THROAT.
C. Daniel Smith, M.D.
"It was very uncomfortable to place cause it goes through the nose and sits there the entire time."
LORI SAYS IT WAS AWFUL.
Lori Lassetter
Suffers from reflux
"It was also uncomfortable because if you turned your head you could feel the tube rubbing your throat, which would cause the gag reflex, which was not very pleasant."
C. Daniel Smith, M.D.
"Universally every patient said, 'That was horrible,' and if, at some point in the future, that same patient needed that test repeated, by and large those patients refused because of how uncomfortable it was."
A NEW TEST, CALLED "BRAVO", SAYS GOOD-BYE TO THE TUBES AND WIRES.
THE TINY TRANSMITTER IS PLACED JUST ABOVE THE STOMACH AND SENDS DATA TO A BELT CLIP RECORDER FOR TWO DAYS. PATIENTS SAY THEY BARELY FEEL IT.
Lori Lassetter
"I don't feel it at all. I don't even know it's there."
NOW AS LORI ENJOYS A GOOD MEAL, HER DOCTOR CAN GET THE RIGHT DIAGNOSIS.
GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE AFFECTS ABOUT 21 MILLION AMERICANS. IF LEFT UNTREATED, IT CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS INCLUDING RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS, NON-CARDIAC CHEST PAIN AND BARRETT'S ESOPHAGUS, A PRECURSOR TO CANCER.
BACKGROUND: The condition known as reflux is officially called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD. The term used to describe a backflow of acid from the stomach into the swallowing tube or esophagus. This acid can irritate and sometimes damage the delicate lining on the inside of the esophagus. The usual symptom is heartburn, an uncomfortable burning sensation behind the breastbone, most commonly occurring after a meal. In some individuals, reflux is frequent or severe enough to cause problems that are more significant and is considered a disease. These include regurgitation of gastric contents into the mouth, chest pain and difficulty swallowing. Pulmonary manifestations, such as asthma, coughing, or intermittent wheezing and vocal cord inflammation with hoarseness, occur in some GERD patients. When it reaches that point, it is a medical condition called GERD. So GERD isn't just "something you ate." Recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicate that about 7 million people in the United States suffer from GERD.
DIAGNOSIS: Diagnosis of GERD is often a very uncomfortable procedure for patients. A tube traditionally has to be fed up the nose and down the throat so it can measure the acid as it percolates up from the stomach into the esophagus. The tube is kept in place for 24 hours. Patients say it is extremely uncomfortable and often end up sitting at home and not conducting their life as usual. This in turn ends up giving a somewhat inaccurate result. Doctors say patients who need the test repeated for various reasons often refuse because of how uncomfortable it is.
A WIRELESS WAY: Now there is a way for people with GERD to have their condition monitored while they live their lives normally and without the uncomfortable tube. The test is called BRAVO. It is a catheter-free, pH monitoring system. A tiny transmitter the size of a pill is placed at the end of the esophagus and attached to the surface of the esophagus. It sends signals to a belt clip recorder for two days and then passes out of the body naturally. Patients are asked to press buttons if they feel heartburn, indicate when they start and stop eating, and when they lie down. They also are asked to keep a journal. Manufacturers of the BRAVO system say the test is equally efficient as the more traditional test. Patients say the test is much better than the traditional one and are able to go about their business and eat as they normally would. This gives a more accurate reading of acid levels.
Emory Health Connections
Emory Clinic
1365 Clifton Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30322
(404) 778-7777
Email: bravo@emoryendsurgery.org
Website: www.emoryendosurgery.org/bravo
Copyright © 2002 Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc.
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