PIONEERING CHICAGO PHYSICIAN TREATS HIS 1,000th R-CPD (RETROGRADE CRICOPHARYNGEUS DYSFUNCTION) PATIENT

Dr. Robert Bastian, the first to successfully define, treat and resolve R-CPD, reaches this milestone during National Digestive Diseases Awareness Month, May 2024.

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Robert Bastian, renowned laryngologist and founder of Bastian Voice Institute (BVI), achieves a major milestone on May 1, 2024. Kicking off National Digestive Diseases Awareness Month, Dr. Bastian will treat his 1,000th patient with the diagnosis of R-CPD (Retrograde Cricopharyngeus Dysfunction), a digestive disorder that he first described as a detailed syndrome in 2015, when he also became the first to successfully treat and resolve this condition. R-CPD occurs when the upper esophageal sphincter will not relax in order to release intestinal gas and is the formal name for a condition comprised by a collection of symptoms all tied to an inability to burp (or burp sufficiently).    

"The significance of treating my 1,000^th R-CPD patient during National Digestive Diseases Awareness Month couldn't be more fitting," states Bastian. "Because many of the primary symptoms are generally GI-related—including the inability to belch, gurgling noises, chest/abdominal pressure, bloating, and flatulence—prior to coming to us, patients have typically endured testing that has often been inconclusive. These patients have also many times been treated for the individual symptoms, rather than the underlying cause, resulting in little to no relief. Bringing awareness to this specific condition, and shedding light on the readily available, proven treatment is of paramount importance to me."

Until Dr. Bastian codified R-CPD as a condition, it was unknown as a specific diagnosis in the medical community. Dr. Bastian and partners, Dr. Brent Richardson and Dr. Rebecca Hoesli, together have treated over 1,700 patients with R-CPD at Bastian Voice Institute (BVI). Most undergo a brief outpatient procedure to inject botulinum toxin into the esophageal sphincter, and a small subset instead opts for an in-office procedure using electromyographic guidance.

"Patients routinely experience dramatic relief of their symptoms. Typically, a single Botox injection serves as 'training wheels,' allowing the system to reset, and the person may never lose his or her ability to belch again," Bastian states.

Bastian is also quick to note that while the total caseload at BVI has reached people from 50 states and 26 countries, this treatment is becoming more widely available, and he himself is actively involved in bringing it to colleagues in the gastrointestinal and other medical specialties.

"I specifically created an extensive online resource, www.laryngopedia.com, where we provide as a public service information designed to help both patients and their physicians understand R-CPD and help them find and provide help, wherever they are located," Bastian concludes.

To learn more about R-CPD and Dr. Bastian's work visit www.bastianvoice.com.

About BVI
Bastian Voice Institute (BVI) was founded in 2003 by Robert W. Bastian, M.D. and provides the highest quality medical, surgical and behavioral care and consideration for persons with voice, swallowing and airway disorders. BVI's primary concern is patient care, supported by ongoing educational activities and research projects. Following a successful 20-year career in academic medicine, first at Washington University in St. Louis and then at Loyola University in Chicago where he rose to the rank of Professor, Dr. Bastian founded BVI, inspired by his vision of a unique primary-through-tertiary-care specialty practice. In 2015, Dr. Bastian was the first to fully understand, codify and successfully treat R-CPD (Retrograde Cricopharyngeus Dysfunction). As part of Dr. Bastian's commitment to education and accessibility to care, he created and hosts the informational website www.laryngopedia.com, providing a valuable resource for clinicians and patients alike. For more information visit www.bastianvoice.com.

SOURCE Bastian Voice Institute