Impedance pH Monitoring: Why It’s Performed

Dr Ong may use a pH Impedance diagnostic test to evaluate your child’s reflux. It measures the length of time it takes for your child’s stomach contents (acid or non-acid) come back up into his or her esophagus.

What To Expect

A thin and flexible catheter with an acid-sensitive tip is placed through the nose into the esophagus. Over a 24 hour period, the catheter measures how high the contents come up in the back of the throat. It can also tell if the stomach contents are acid or non-acid.



Minor reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus is normal, but if this happens frequently or for long periods of time, it may cause pain, vomiting or discomfort for the patient.