Ambulatory long-term pH monitoring in pigs

Abstract

pH monitoring should be mandatory in any investigation of antireflux therapy. Our method is easy and secure to perform. It is suitable for other gastrointestinal investigations (Bilitec, long-term manometry) that could be carried out using the same technique. The described data represent the basis for other investigations of experimental antireflux therapy.

Is Toupet fundoplication the procedure of choice for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease? Results of a prospective randomized experimental trial comparing three major antireflux operations in a porcine model

“…The pig is a well-established model for studying reflux with various questions. We established 24-h pH monitoring in the model [9] to prove reflux with the same means as in humans.…”

“…Physiologic values for the fraction of time that pH fell below four in the pigs were not available for comparison and thus were retrieved from baseline measurements as described previously [9]. This parameter has sensitivity and specificity comparable with the De-Meester score [10] routinely applied in humans but not applicable in this model.…”

“…Long-term pH monitoring (24 h) was performed using the technique established and described by our group [9].…”

“…The probe was fixed by sutures and connected with a recorder on the back of the pig in a modified elastic belly strap, as described previously [9].…”

“…Therefore, we used the fraction of time that that pH fell below four as the primary indicator of reflux because comparable sensitivity, specificity, and statistical accuracy has been described previously [9,10].…”