Acid Reflux | St. Louis, MO | Gateway Gastroenterology, St. John's Mercy Medical CenterGastroenterology - St Louis, MO/ Gateway Gastroenterology, Inc:: Gastroenterologist services at St. John's Mercy Medical Center
In most patients, it is relatively easy to diagnosis heart burn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) based on the patient’s symptoms and findings at the time of upper endoscopy. However, in some patients it is not clear if their symptoms are due to GERD. Examples of this would be patients who do not improve on appropriate anti-acid medications or have problems that in some cases have been shown to be associated with GERD such as chest pain, chronic cough, hoarseness, or sore throat. For these patients, the Bravo test is often helpful.
For the Bravo test, you will undergo an upper endoscopy. (Please see Upper Endoscopy section of Procedures We Perform.) During the endoscopy a very small acid monitoring device is attached to the lower end of the esophagus. This will detect any stomach acid that leaves your stomach and refluxes into the esophagus. The information is then electronically transmitted to a receiver that is worn on the belt. The information is recorded for 48 hours. You then return to the GI lab to drop off the recording device so that it can be analyzed. The acid monitoring device attached to the esophagus usually sloughs off in 5-7 days and easily passes in the stool.
In most patients, it is relatively easy to diagnosis heart burn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) based on the patient’s symptoms and findings at the time of upper endoscopy. However, in some patients it is not clear if their symptoms are due to GERD. Examples of this would be patients who do not improve on appropriate anti-acid medications or have problems that in some cases have been shown to be associated with GERD such as chest pain, chronic cough, hoarseness, or sore throat. For these patients, the Bravo test is often helpful.
For the Bravo test, you will undergo an upper endoscopy. (Please see Upper Endoscopy section of Procedures We Perform.) During the endoscopy a very small acid monitoring device is attached to the lower end of the esophagus. This will detect any stomach acid that leaves your stomach and refluxes into the esophagus. The information is then electronically transmitted to a receiver that is worn on the belt. The information is recorded for 48 hours. You then return to the GI lab to drop off the recording device so that it can be analyzed. The acid monitoring device attached to the esophagus usually sloughs off in 5-7 days and easily passes in the stool.