Placement of the Bravo wireless pH monitoring capsule onto the gastric wall under endoscopic guidance.
BACKGROUND
The Bravo system was designed mainly to monitor esophageal pH, and there have been no reports on gastric pH monitoring using this system.


OBJECTIVE
To place the Bravo capsule on the gastric wall and monitor gastric pH.


METHODS
Experimental clinical trial with the cooperation of volunteers.


METHODS
Academic medical center.


METHODS
Eleven volunteers (9 men, 2 women; mean age 38 years; 3 had symptoms of GERD).


METHODS
The Bravo system was introduced into the esophagus and stomach along a thin endoscope and capsules were attached, one each to the esophageal and gastric walls under direct vision through the endoscope. Esophageal and gastric pHs were simultaneously monitored.


RESULTS
The 2 capsules were successfully placed in 10 of the 11 subjects, and both esophageal and gastric pHs were monitored for 48 hours in 9 subjects. Mild to moderate precordial pain was observed in 7 subjects, but no other complications or side effects were observed in this study. The gastric pH of 10 subjects increased after meals and returned to baseline pH 2 hours later. Decrease of esophageal pH was observed 1 hour after a meal in the symptomatic subjects and corresponded to the time when gastric pH decreased secondary to the increase of pH with meals.


CONCLUSIONS
The Bravo capsule is easily placed on the gastric wall under endoscopic assistance and enables long ambulatory monitoring of gastric pH.
Yamaguchi
Taketo
T
Department of Medicine and Clinical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
Seza
Ayaka
A
Odaka
Takeo
T
Shishido
Tadayuki
T
Ai
Masato
M
Gen
Shun
S
Kouzu
Teruo
T
Saisho
Hiromitsu
H
D000328:Adult; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D004947:Esophagus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000502:physiology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013270:Stomach / Q000502:physiology