Portable apparatus for the determination of upper gastrointestinal function in terms of pH values and clinical uses thereof
First Claim
1. A portable instrument for measuring intraluminal pH comprising:
- (a) a means for continually measuring pH at an intraluminal site;
(b) a timing means for determining the time at which a pH value is measured and for pre-selecting the duration of time and the time at which a pH value will be measured;
(c) a first storage means for retrieving and storing each measured pH value and the time at which said pH value is measured;
(d) a means for retrieving from said storage means and displaying a measured pH value and the time at which said pH value is measured;
(e) a second storage means for receiving and storing a pre-selected pH value;
(f) a means to enter said pre-selected pH value into said second storage means;
(g) means to retrieve from said first and second storage means a measured pH value and said pre-selected pH value and to compare said pH values;
(h) means for generating a signal when said measured pH value is greater than or less than said preselected pH value;
(i) means to retrieve measured pH values from said frist storage means and to calculate a mean or median pH value and total number of pH values over a pre-selected time period; and
(j) means to control a distribution of electrical signals within said portable instrument electrically conected to said means (a-i).
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Accused Products
Abstract
In the portable instrument an intragastric probe, with a combined pH-electrode at its tip, measures pH values over a long time period and stores, calculates, evaluates, indicates (at any selected time) and prints out the data. At any particular time, both the actual pH value at that moment and all stored data up to that moment are immediately available to the physician. The small size of the apparatus does not interfere with the normal activity of the patient even over a long time period. The apparatus allows the individual diurnal rhythm of acid secretion to be observed, including the effects thereon of food (and dietary changes, smoking, alcohol, coffee, and drugs, as they occur.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A portable instrument for measuring intraluminal pH comprising:
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(a) a means for continually measuring pH at an intraluminal site; (b) a timing means for determining the time at which a pH value is measured and for pre-selecting the duration of time and the time at which a pH value will be measured; (c) a first storage means for retrieving and storing each measured pH value and the time at which said pH value is measured; (d) a means for retrieving from said storage means and displaying a measured pH value and the time at which said pH value is measured; (e) a second storage means for receiving and storing a pre-selected pH value; (f) a means to enter said pre-selected pH value into said second storage means; (g) means to retrieve from said first and second storage means a measured pH value and said pre-selected pH value and to compare said pH values; (h) means for generating a signal when said measured pH value is greater than or less than said preselected pH value; (i) means to retrieve measured pH values from said frist storage means and to calculate a mean or median pH value and total number of pH values over a pre-selected time period; and (j) means to control a distribution of electrical signals within said portable instrument electrically conected to said means (a-i). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification