Acid-Detecting Biomedical Transmitter Available

SEWilco writes: "This Medtronic press release announces a wireless stomach monitor. Actually, it's fastened internally ( and is less unpleasant than the older testing method) just above the stomach to detect acid getting to the wrong place. Results are sent to an external device, later uploaded for analysis. It's not as elaborate as the swallowable camera we've discussed, but this has been commercially introduced so there will be people walking around with these...for the few days that they last. It's available in the trendy translucent case design, but by prescription only. I suspect the over-the-counter market is rather small."

Comments

Wish I had one of these.

[Cuthalion]

Like seemingly most /. readers I have had my share of debiliating and/or unpleasant medical or emotional problems. Thus I had to wear one of the 24-hour nasal catheters that this technology will replace, on several occasions. The way it works is they stick a tube up your nose, down your throat, and attach it to a walkman sized gizmo that's recording the output. Then they say "go home, and have a regular day at junior high". Then they monitor the acid levels throughout this "normal" day. It's not really all that unpleasant, in terms of medical procedure, but socially the "normal day" was no walk in the park.

I'm just thankful that my gastrointestinal problems were all upper GI. Talk about unpleasant medical procedures!