Bravo pH Monitor System
Acid reflux happens when the ring of muscles located where the esophagus enters the stomach opens at the wrong time. Normally this ring only opens to allow food and liquid to enter the stomach, but when it opens at other times stomach acid can splash up into the esophagus. This is called acid reflux or GERD which is responsible for causing the discomfort a person has when they experience heartburn.
Nearly everyone experiences heartburn occasionally, however when it happens regularly it can lead to scarring in the esophagus. In order to determine the amount of stomach acid that causes heartburn, a physician uses a pH test.
pH tests measure the amount of acidity in the stomach and how often stomach acid flows into the lower esophagus in a 24-48 hour period. The pH test that doctors at Physicians Cooperative use is called Bravo http://www.medtronic.com/neuro/gerd/whatisBravo.html
The Bravo capsule is temporarily attached to the esophagus during an EGD endoscopy procedure. The system is wireless and catheter-free and allows patients to maintain their regular diet and activities. The capsule transmits data to a pager-sized receiver that the patient keeps for 24-48 hours. When the test is complete, the pager is returned to Physicians Cooperative and the Bravo capsule naturally detaches from the esophagus and passes naturally through the body.
This system is the latest technology for monitoring the affects of acid reflux and heartburn and offers patients the most effective and easy monitoring available.