A novel placement method of a calibration-free pH capsule for continuous wireless measurement of intragastric pH in horses.
Authors: Hodgson Evelyn, Thirouin Marthe, Narayanan Pranav, Romano Tallia-Rume, Wise Jessica, Bond Stephanie
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary Measuring gastric pH in horses has long presented practical challenges, prompting researchers to adapt wireless capsule technology already validated in human oesophageal monitoring. Hodgson and colleagues deployed calibration-free pH capsules directly onto equine gastric mucosa under endoscopic visualisation, securing them with suture loops and between one and four haemostasis clips, then recording continuous pH data wirelessly across fed and fasted periods whilst monitoring attachment integrity daily via gastroscopy. Capsule durability differed substantially by location and fixation method: squamous mucosa capsules persisted for a median of 27 hours overall, with three-clip attachments lasting 32 hours versus single-clip attachments lasting only 15 hours, whilst glandular mucosa capsules showed shorter attachment times (median 10 hours), though one exceptional four-clip placement achieved 158 hours of data collection. No clinically significant mucosal injury resulted from capsule placement, confirming the safety of the technique across 11 healthy adult horses. This development represents a meaningful advance for both research applications requiring detailed gastric pH profiling and clinical scenarios where continuous monitoring might inform management decisions—particularly relevant for conditions like equine gastric ulcer syndrome, though practitioners should anticipate variable capsule longevity and plan data collection accordingly.
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Practical Takeaways
- •This technique enables non-invasive continuous pH monitoring in clinical and research settings, providing objective data on gastric acid exposure that may help diagnose or monitor equine gastric ulcer syndrome
- •Three hemostasis clips appear optimal for squamous mucosa attachment (32-hour median duration), while multiple clips on glandular mucosa showed variable results suggesting this location is less reliable
- •The method is safe with no mucosal damage observed, making it suitable for repeated use in individual horses requiring ongoing pH monitoring
Key Findings
- •Wireless pH capsules were successfully placed on both squamous (n=11) and glandular (n=7) gastric mucosa under endoscopic guidance
- •Squamous region capsule attachment duration was 27 hours median (15-32 hours), with 3-clip attachment achieving longest duration of 32 hours
- •Glandular region capsule attachment was shorter at 10 hours median (8-21 hours), with one 4-clip capsule lasting 158 hours
- •No substantial mucosal damage occurred from capsule attachment, confirming safety of the technique for continuous pH monitoring