Solid versus liquid pulmonary micro-aspiration of reflux disease. Does it make a difference in determining the need for intervention?

Pulmonary micro-aspiration (PMA) is a feared complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD). A novel scintigraphic test for GORD has been developed and validated. It can demonstrate contamination of the upper and lower airways by refluxate. Current observations have led to the hypothesis that prolongation in solid gastric emptying (SGE) is crical in pulmonary micro-aspiration.