Restech (Respiratory Technology Corporation) out of San Diego, California has won European approval to market the firm’s Dx-pH Measurement System™. The device is intended to measure pH levels in the airway and provide guidance to the physician about overall pharyngeal acid exposure. We’ve covered this system before, as our flashbacks below testify.
From a press release obtained by Medgadget:
Ruling out acidic or alkaline reflux when determining etiology of chronic cough, recurrent laryngitis, sinusitis, and respiratory conditions is very important. Instead of empirically prescribing medications to inhibit reflux, based on symptoms with no real evidence-based diagnosis, doctors can now easily determine whether reflux is or isn’t a factor.
The Restech Dx–pH Measurement System is a revolutionary system that comfortably measures pH in the airway.
Gastric reflux in the upper airway, or laryngopharyngeal reflux, commonly takes a gaseous form that cannot be measured using conventional technology. The miniaturized pH sensor at the tip of the Dx–pH Probe is unique in its ability to measure pH in a non-liquid environment, such as the pharynx. By monitoring the pH levels in the pharynx, the Dx–System enables physicians to confirm or deny the presence of laryngopharyngeal reflux, and evaluate it as a possible contributor to their patients’ symptoms.
The Dx–pH Probe’s miniaturized, patented sensor is housed in the tear-drop shaped tip at the distal end of a thin trans-nasal catheter. An LED blinks during placement, allowing the medical personnel to confirm the proper placement in the oropharynx. The small size and minimally invasive position of the Restech Dx–pH Probe allows patients to carry on normal, everyday activities including eating, talking and sleeping with more comfort than conventional esophageal pH probes.
The measurements taken by the pH sensor are sent wirelessly to a recording device which the patient carries throughout the study period. Upon completion of the study (usually 24 hours), the patient returns to the physician’s office where the data is downloaded and presented graphically for analysis using Restech’s custom Dx–pH DataView software.
Product page: Dx-pH Measurement System
Product brochure…
Flashbacks: The Dx-pH Measurement System™ for Sleep Reflux; Detecting Reflux in Realtime