A belated revelation: From Gastroesophageal Reflux related asthma to laryngotracheal spasm

The global evidence-based consensus for gastroesophageal reflux (GER) comes up with reflux cough syndrome, reflux laryngitis syndrome, reflux dental erosion syndrome and the reflux asthma syndrome. The author himself happened to receive five emergency rescue treatments following apparent ldquobronchial asthmardquo, which was to be diagnosed as GER at his own insistence. PPI resulted in some relief. After being rescued again from suffocation, he had a fundaplication, which was performed at the Englewood hospital & medical center, USA in March 2006. The procedure immediately cleared up his ldquoasthmardquo. A month later he brought forth a Center for GER in an army hospital in Beijing, China. Up to now, 623 patients with mainly respiratory distress (84%) were treated there by Stretta Radiofrequency, 58 by surgery and many more by PPI. The GER Center is now complete with a basically well-equipped ward. GER patients with respiratory distresses turned out to fare better than those with acid regurgitation. A nozzle-shaped pharynx was found in patients with the reflux. Animal study revealed that the refluxate entered into trachea and even lungs. Gradually a hypothesis of a gastro-oesophago-laryngo-tracheal reflux took shape.