pH Studies Procedure
What is esophageal pH monitoring?
Esophageal pH (pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution) monitoring is a procedure for measuring the reflux (regurgitation or backwash) of acid from the stomach into the esophagus that occurs in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
How is esophageal pH monitoring performed?
Esophageal pH monitoring is performed by passing a thin plastic catheter a sixteenth of an inch in diameter through one nostril, down the back of the throat, and into the esophagus as the patient swallows. The tip of the catheter contains a sensor that senses acid. The sensor is positioned in the esophagus so that it is just above the lower esophageal sphincter, a specialized area of esophageal muscle that lies at the junction of the esophagus and stomach and prevents acid from refluxing back up into the esophagus. In this position the sensor records each reflux of acid. The catheter protruding from the nose is connected to a recorder that registers each reflux of acid.