06/15/06
 
Deirdre Stewart, PhD, vice president of Clinical Affairs at Restech, San Diego, will present information on a new device for detecting gastric reflux in the airway and its application in sleep medicine Sunday, June 18 at 11:30 AM at the Association of Polysomnographic Technologists meeting, a segment of the SLEEP 2006 Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) event.
                                                                       
Restech’s Dx-pH Measurement System™ detects aerosolized reflux in the upper airway, known as laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). The miniature 1.5mm diameter catheter is placed trans-nasally and is positioned behind the soft palate, which allows patients to eat, drink, and sleep comfortably, thereby fostering realistic study results. The probe tip’s sensor is designed in a revolutionary teardrop shape, which unlike conventional catheters is resistant to becoming embedded in the mucosal wall.

The Restech “plug & play” Dx-Sleep Adapter™ allows sleep medicine professionals to track patients’ airway pH events in real-time on their existing monitoring equipment. The system can be easily set up in a sleep clinic or physician’s office.

Gastric reflux, respiratory disease, and sleep disordered breathing are rapidly growing health concerns worldwide. Clinical studies have found that gastric events in the airway are associated with and known to exacerbate serious respiratory disorders such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA affects approximately 20 million Americans and significant reflux occurs in at least half of this population.

Ross Tsukashima, director of product development at Restech, will complement the presentation with his expertise in physiologic pH measurement. Tsukashima has authored nine patents and was awarded a 2002 Silver Medal in Business Week’s “Industrial Design Excellence Awards.”