Millions of Americans suffer from acid reflux disease. When pills stop helping, they may face surgery. Some incredible technology helps doctors decide how to proceed.
Joanna Hernandez is getting ready for a procedure called a PH probe test, a way for doctors to see just how much acid is bubbling up from her stomach into her esophagus, causing pain and discomfort.
“My main symptom is a very sore throat in the morning,” Hernandez explained.
At North Central Baptist Hospital, gastroenterologist Dr. David Garcia uses a system called Bravo. The patient is under conscious sedation. The doctor uses an endoscope to look down her digestive tract.
Then, he takes a wire loaded with a tiny device. It’s a sophisticated transmitter about the size of a fingernail. He gently attaches it to the side of her esophagus.
The patient wears a box outside her body to capture the information. “It sends by telemetry radio waves to this box and it actually tells not only how much acid is coming up into the esophagus, but how long the acid is staying in the esophagus,” Garcia said.
For 48 hours, the tiny capsule measures what’s going on inside. It’s a disposable device that will spontaneously detach over several days, then pass through the digestive tract.
“So I’m excited about it because it will give him some real data,” Hernandez stated. “Instead of depending on me to give him the information, he’ll actually have some scientific data to go off of.”
Hernandez may need more medication or she may need surgery. This tiny piece of hardware will help her doctor make the right decision.
“For us, it’s actually a very important took,” Garcia said. “because now we can quantify how bad the reflux is.”
Reflux disease isn’t just bad heartburn. It can create damage inside the esophagus that increases the risk for cancer. That’s why it’s a health problem patients shouldn’t ignore.
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