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Bravo Esophageal pH testing

Esophageal pH testing allows your doctor to determine if you are continuing to have acid reflux, and if this may be causing your symptoms (heartburn, cough, chest pain, hoarseness of voice).

Procedure
On the day of the procedure, the Endoscopy Nurse will place an IV into your hand or arm. When it is time for your procedure, you will be brought via stretcher into the endoscopy room. You will be lying on your left side for the procedure. You will be given intravenous sedatives prior to starting your endoscopy, and so most patients are asleep during the test. The nurse will place a plastic shield (‘bite block’) in your mouth to protect your teeth. Most patients do not experience any pain during or after the procedure. In addition, most patients do not recall undergoing the procedure afterward. The endoscopy takes only about 10 minutes to perform.

Your doctor will carefully and safely guide a thin, flexible, fiberoptic tube equipped with a light and camera, into your esophagus, then into the stomach, and all the way into the duodenum (first part of the small intestine). During the procedure, the doctor may take biopsies (small tissue samples) to obtain more information. Every biopsy is always sent to the Pathologist for examination. If a stricture (abnormal narrowing) is found during the test, your doctor may choose to dilate (stretch) the stricture to help your symptoms. In addition, if the doctor finds something bleeding during the test, he will likely cauterize the bleeding lesion in order to stop it. After the procedure, your doctor will speak to you and let you know the results of the exam.

Possible Complications
Endoscopy is a very safe procedure. The vast majority of the time, there are no problems during the test. That being said, any procedure that a doctor performs (no matter how safe) can possibly result in unforeseen complications. The possible complications (again, all are rare) of this procedure include: bleeding, perforation (puncturing the GI tract), and adverse reaction to the IV sedation. In addition, although this procedure is the most accurate way of evaluating the upper GI tract, the doctor is not guaranteed to always find every abnormality during the test.

If you have any questions regarding the upper endoscopy, please call us at 740-356-6828.

PATIENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR BRAVO pH TESTING

Bravo esophageal pH testing enables your physician to objectively determine whether acid reflux is coming up into your esophagus. Test results are more accurate with your help in completing an accurate diary as well as following the instructions below:

  • You must keep the receiver with you at all times during the testing period (48 hours). The receiver must remain within 3 feet of you at all times.
  • If you should forget, and move outside of a 3 feet radius of the receiver – you may hear a beep and you will see a “C1” error in the display window on the top of the receiver. Place the receiver on your chest/breastbone and hold there for approximately 30 seconds to re-establish the connection between the capsule and the receiver. The error message will disappear once the connection has been re-established.
  • You may take a bath/shower during the testing period, but the receiver must not get wet. Please leave the receiver outside of the shower or tub while bathing.
  • Please use the symptom buttons on the receiver to record your symptoms during the testing period:
  • Please remember to record all meals and laying down periods in your diary. You will need to record what time your meal/snack begins and ends and what time you began to lie down and what time you get up. *Note: You need to record all of your up and down times – even quick trips to the restroom at night.
  • Please drink water only between meals. You may drink whatever you like with meals and snacks. Remember to record all meals and snacks in your diary.
  • Please be sure to return your diary with your receiver at the end of the 48 hour testing period.
  • You should not have an MRI within 30 days from the day the Bravo was placed.

The receiver will need to be returned to the front desk of the hospital main lobby after 2 days of testing.

* If you should have any problems or questions during the study, please call Jason Martin, RN at 740-356-8977.