The Restech Corporation announced that the Central California Ear, Nose & Throat Medical Group (CCENT) of Fresno, California, has adopted the Restech Dx-pH Measurement System to detect acid reflux in the throat. An alarming increase in the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) in Americans has led to the need for accurate diagnosis of acid reflux as provided by this system.
"The Restech Dx-pH Measurement System allows us to easily measure stomach acid levels in the throats of patients and to correlate these levels with patient symptoms," said Dr. Bret Sherman, M.D., Ph.D., an Otolaryngologist at CCENT specializing in acid reflux disorders. "It is the easiest, most comfortable, and most reliable procedure available to measure acid levels in the upper airway of patients. The system vastly improves treatment as we are now able to determine exactly when and how much stomach acid reaches the throat. This leads to significantly better healthcare for our patients with throat and voice problems."
Patients are first seen by a CCENT ear, nose and throat specialist or speech pathologist because of throat irritation or voice problems. If an initial examination indicates voice pathology, the Restech Dx-pH Measurement System can be used to determine whether stomach acid is refluxing into the larynx. If acid reflux is indeed present, the correct drug treatment plan can be prescribed. If no acid is detected in the upper airway, a different cause for symptoms can be investigated. Prior to the Restech Dx-pH Measurement System, patients were routinely prescribed drug treatments because there were no accurate tests to determine whether stomach acid was refluxing into the upper airway and throat.
Restech Dx-pH Measurement System
The Restech Dx-pH Measurement System is a revolutionary system that comfortably measures pH in the airway. It had been difficult to detect such reflux in the upper airway because, until now, available pH catheters only measured liquid reflux in the esophagus and not the aerosolized form of stomach acid found in the larynx and throat.
Gastric reflux in the upper airway, or laryngopharyngeal reflux, commonly takes a gaseous form that cannot easily be measured using conventional technology. The miniaturized pH sensor at the tip of the Dx-pH Probe is the only sensor able to measure pH in this area. By measuring such pH levels, the Dx-System enables physicians to determine the existence of laryngopharyngeal reflux and to correlate the reflux to various patient symptoms.
The first device capable of measuring pH in the throat in real-time, the Restech Dx-pH Measurement System sends measurements wirelessly to a miniature recording device which is easily carried by the patients during the test period, providing a simple and effective way to monitor reflux. Upon completion of the testing period (usually 24 hours), the patient returns to the physician's office where the device is plugged into a computer and measurements are downloaded for evaluation.
The Dx-pH Probe is 1.5mm in diameter and rests at a comfortable position in the back of the throat behind the soft palate and does not disrupt normal activity or eating. Prior to the development of the Restech Dx-pH Measurement System, physicians testing for reflux had to send their patients home with a probe extending into the patient's esophagus. The positioning and size of those probes were very uncomfortable and interfered with normal activity such as eating and sleeping. The Restech Dx-pH Measurement System allows patients to carry on normal, everyday behavior including eating, exercise, work, bathing, and sleeping with minimal disruption to their lives.
About Central California Ear, Nose & Throat Medical Group
Central California Ear, Nose & Throat Medical Group (CCENT) is a prominent otolaryngology practice that was established in 1966. The practice and facilities are located between Los Angeles and San Francisco in the San Joaquin Valley, with offices in Fresno. CCENT currently has eight ENT physicians with general otolaryngology and sub-specialty expertise. The facility includes comprehensive audiologic and vestibular testing, speech pathology, videostroboscopy, and an ambulatory surgical pavilion. CCENT enjoys affiliation with the University of California San Francisco. The practice thrives in a community with five major hospitals and complements patient care with excellent support services. Their on-site ambulatory surgery center is state-of-the-art and outfitted with advanced resources like image guidance technology.
About Restech
Restech is a leader in engineering world class medical technologies that provide comfortable, reliable solutions to assist physicians in the diagnosis of reflux related health problems quickly and reliably.
The innovative engineering team at Restech is led by professionals with over two decades experience each in medical device development. Together, the Restech staff hold over 30 patents in the areas of sensor technology, data recording & monitoring systems, and other medical devices.
