The newest place in the Valley to get state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment is the Heartburn Program at John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital.
The hospital has invested more than $100,000 for equipment, supplies and special staff training to launch the clinic.
Highlights of the Heartburn Program
- Centrally located, one-stop diagnosis and treatment of heartburn problems
- Heartburn, generalized pain caused when stomach acid “refluxes” into esophagus, affects almost one in 15 people and can lead to serious health problems.
- Board certified physicians experienced in caring for patients with heartburn are backed by specialty-certified nursing and technical staff
- More than $100,000 of new, state-of-the art diagnostic equipment
- Features a Bravo pH catheter-free Monitoring System, which is more accurate and comfortable for patients
Contact Information
Call (602) 331-5700 to make an appointment at the Heartburn Program at John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital, located at 250 East Dunlap, Phoenix, Arizona 85020
Providers
- Francisco Rodriguez, MD, board-certified general surgeon extensively trained in minimally invasive surgeries to correct gastrointestinal problems that cannot be resolved with medication.
Who Should Be Seen
Patients with heartburn, reflux problems and other digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) complications.
Anyone who has had heartburn symptoms more than two or three times a week for more than five years should be diagnosed and treated.
Referrals and Authorization
Patients may be referred by their primary care physician or they may contact the clinic themselves for an appointment.
More About Heartburn and GERD
Heartburn, also called acid indigestion, is a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and occurs when stomach acid flows back—"refluxes"—into the esophagus, the muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach.
Although the stomach is lined with acid-resistant tissue, the esophagus is not. Repeated or prolonged exposure to acid stomach contents can cause inflammation, burns, ulcers and bleeding. Over time, scarring and narrowing of the esophagus can develop, making it difficult to swallow foods and liquids.
Traditionally, reflux damage has been evaluated with a test called upper endoscopy, gastroscopy or esophagogastroduodenoscopy—or "EGD"—done under sedation, is an examination of the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and the first 20 to 25 centimeters of the upper duodenum (small intestine) with a small camera, part of a flexible endoscope inserted down the throat. Biopsies, taking tissue samples for microscopic examination, can be obtained through the endoscope.
Anyone who has had heartburn symptoms more than two or three times a week for more than five years should have an EGD.
Others who should be tested are those who have a history of GERD and are well-controlled on their medications, because they are still at risk of getting esophageal cancer. A one-time endoscopy should indicate if they are at risk for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus related to their GERD.
EGDs have been performed for decades at both John C. Lincoln Hospitals.
At North Mountain’s new Heartburn Program, the staff will use Medtronic’s Bravo Catheter-Free pH Monitoring System to test for GERD. Esophageal acid testing, or pH monitoring, is considered the "gold standard" for diagnosing GERD.
This is not only important to determine the seriousness of reflux disease, but essential to rule out heart problems. If the pH acidity levels in the esophagus are normal, that’s a major clue that heartburn pains may be indicators of serious cardiac issues.
Two types of pH monitoring are currently available:
Plastic catheterization: A thin plastic catheter inserted through one nostril into the esophagus senses acid levels. The catheter protruding from the nose is connected to a recorder that registers each acid reflux. The patient goes home for 24 hours with the catheter and recorder in place and returns to have them removed. After the catheter is removed, the recorder is attached to a computer so data can be downloaded.
Bravo pH Monitoring System: This procedure only uses a catheter to introduce a capsule containing an acid-sensing probe. The catheter is removed as soon as the capsule is clipped to the lower esophagus. Thus, there is no catheter protruding from the nose. The battery-powered capsule transmits pH data for two days to a small receiver worn by the patient. Then the battery dies. Five to seven days later, the capsule falls off and is passed in the stool. (It is not reusable.)
There are very few side effects of esophageal pH monitoring. Although there may be mild discomfort in the back of the throat while the catheter is in place, particularly during swallows, the vast majority of patients have no difficulty eating, sleeping, or going about their daily activities. Most patients, however, prefer not to go to work because they feel self-conscious about the catheter protruding from their nose.
Invisible outside, invaluable inside, Bravo is more comfortable and convenient (less social embarrassment) and easy-to-use for clinicians. Bravo is designed for greater accuracy—not only does it provide double the data captured in conventional catheter-based testing, but since patients are able to maintain regular diet and activities, the pH data collected more accurately reflects patient’s physiologic condition. The disadvantages of the capsule are that it cannot be used in the pharynx and, so far, it has not been used in the stomach. |