Esophageal waveform analysis for detection and quantification of reflux episodes

Abstract

A system and method for automatically analyzing impedance and pH data from an esophageal probe includes a data collection system that collects and stores the output from the sensors for a certain period of time to locate reflux episodes in the waveforms. The data analysis system uses wavelet analysis to assist in locating bolus entry and exit points in the waveforms and to smooth waveforms for additional analysis.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to gastroesophageal reflux diagnostic systems, and more particularly to automated system for processing impedance and pH signals from an esophageal monitoring device to locate bolus entry and exit points on an impedance waveform and to locate retrograde bolus movement episodes across impedance channel waveforms. b. Description of the Background Gastrointestinal reflux is the movement of liquids, which may, but do not necessarily, include stomach acids, upwardly in the esophagus, i.e., away from the stomach instead of toward the stomach. The esophagus, which extends from a person's or animal's pharynx to the stomach, normally functions to transport food and liquids downwardly from the pharynx to the stomach during a swallow. During a normal swallow, a peristaltic wave (i.e., a contraction of the muscles of the esophagus) begins at the upper end of the esophagus and moves progressively do...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a system that can assist a health care professional in identifying possible indications of occurrences of reflux episodes in data obtained from impedance measurements in a test subject's esophagus. A more specific object of the invention is to provide a method of locating possible bolus entry and bolus exit points on an impedance waveform. Another specific object of the invention is to provide a method of locating retrograte movement episodes across impedance channel waveforms.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and limitations of previous solutions by providing a system and method for automatically analyzing data from an esophageal probe having several impedance sensors by normalizing the data, deriving smooth and detail signals for each channel, including localized negative and positive maxima as indications of bolus entry and exit points in the waveform. Additional analysis to enhance sensitivity of episode detection can include: (i) minimum impedance reached after the episode in distal channels compared to gastric content impedance threshold; (ii) impedance change in distal channels; (iii) variances in the impedance of the distal channels; and (iv) strength of the change in impedance in the swallow direction compared to the impedance change in the reflux direction.

Problems solved by technology

In persons with GERD, the LES muscle may be weak or may relax inappropriately with exposure to fatty and spicy foods, certain types of medications, tight clothing, smoking, drinking alcohol, vigorous exercise, or changes in body position.

The reflux can cause problems, such as heartburn-like pain symptoms, chest pain similar to cardiac problems, aggravated asthma symptoms, hoarseness, sinus problems, snoring problems, and other respiratory problems.

Severe or prolonged acid reflux can cause inflammation (esophagitis) and can ultimately damage the lining of the esophagus.

However, at night, these protective mechanisms are less effective.

Consequently, nighttime acid reflux is more likely to remain in the esophagus longer and can cause greater damage.

However, serious and / or long-term gastrointestinal reflux can often necessitate surgery to the LES or to the stomach.

One drawback of that pH-detecting approach is that acid control medication defeats the ability to detect acid reflux.

The HCl acid may not be sufficiently present to be used as a marker for reflux episodes.

Another drawback of this approach is that it does not show the operational dynamics of the esophagus, i.e., it does not show bolus movement.

Consequently, this prior art approach cannot determine the underlying cause of the reflux.

In addition, this approach may not be able to continuously measure acid levels in a patient over a significant period of time.

Furthermore, it may not show the extent or duration of a reflux occurrence, as the prior art approach is incapable of detecting the reflux of relatively non-acidic stomach fluids, i.e., a “non-acid” reflux.

Such interpretations are difficult and time consuming.

It is even more difficult if the analyzing person has to correlate multiple data readings for a patient, and it is not unusual for such manual analysis of typical 24-hour gastroesophageal reflux monitoring studies to require up to 4 hours of an experienced clinician's time.

This time requirement to discern and extract meaningful information from such pH and / or impedance measurements is significant enough that it is a substantial impediment to use such esophageal impedance data beyond academic interest and research settings.

Also, the mental challenge of interpreting impedance waveforms for retrograde bolus movement episodes is enough so that mental fatigue can cause human scoring to degrade over the course of the study.

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