LOS ANGELES, CA -- May 24, 2006 -- Dr. Gregory Wiener, M.D. presented data on a new sensitive and patient-friendly device for detecting liquid and aerosolized supraesophageal gastric reflux (SEGR) events in the oropharynx Wednesday, in front of a curious audience at the international Digestive Disease Week (DDW) conference in Los Angeles.

Restech Corp, to which Dr. Wiener is a scientific advisor, designed the Dx-pH Measurement™ system to facilitate detection of aerosolized reflux in the upper airway, known as laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). Conventional diagnostic tools often miss upper airway reflux and its corresponding symptoms and are notorious for cumbersome, uncomfortable testing.

Clinical studies have connected acidic events in the airway with serious respiratory disorders such as asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and sleep apnea. Yet, a suitable sensor was not available to identify such events until now.

Dr. Wiener’s study offers insight into the utility of the Restech Dx pH Measurement System™ for this application. The Restech system uses a 1.5mm diameter nasopharyngeal catheter placed in the oropharynx behind the soft palate. This location is well tolerated by the patient. Embedded in the tip of the catheter is a light emitting diode (LED) to visually assist placement by the physician. Manometry and endoscopy are not required. The product uses wireless telemetry to transmit the pH data from the catheter to a pocket-sized data recorder, further enhancing patient comfort.

The DDW audience was comprised of world-renowned gastroesophageal physicians, including pioneers of pharyngeal pH testing, Donald Castell, M.D. and Joel Richter, M.D.  Both doctors had previously teamed up with Dr. Wiener in 1988 to publish the first study featuring pharyngeal pH measurement.

Dr. Castell praised the presentation: “I feel a debt of thanks is in order to Dr. Wiener and Restech for delivering this exceptional technology.”