Gastroparesis is a disorder in which the stomach takes an
abnormal amount of time to digest its contents. Normally, within 90 minutes of
eating, the stomach will have emptied at least 50% of its contents. With
gastroparesis, the stomach muscles are damaged or not working correctly,
resulting in the stomach not digesting properly. This results in the food
remaining in the stomach for hours or even days.
Symptoms of Gastroparesis
vary from person to person. The general symptoms may include nausea, vomiting,
burning in the chest, cramping, pain, bloating, weight loss or weight gain,
malnutrition, dehydration, burping, hiccupping or heartburn.
Gastroparesis can be caused
by a variety of things, such as Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, post-surgical
complications, neurological disorders, neuromuscular disorders, rheumatoid or
immune deficiency disorders (scleroderma, lupus) or eating disorders. There are
also people suffering from idiopathic gastroparesis, meaning there is no known
cause for them having this disorder.
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This disorder can be diagnosed with a gastric emptying study,
in which the patient eats a meal that has a radioactive material in it. This is
often egg white prepared at the test location, with the patient having fasted
since the previous evening. A normal gastric emptying study usually results in
50% of the meal being digested within 90 minutes. If more than 50% of the meal
remains in the stomach, the patient is often diagnosed with Gastroparesis.
Other tests may include an EGD, upper GI study, EGG, phProbe or Esophageal
Manometry.
There is no known cure for Gastroparesis, which is a
difficult disorder to treat. Medications are available to help treat the
symptoms, and surgical intervention may be required in certain cases. For more
information on this disorder, visit G-PACT at http://www.g-pact.org/index.htm.
Symptoms of Gastroparesis
vary from person to person. The general symptoms may include nausea, vomiting,
burning in the chest, cramping, pain, bloating, weight loss or weight gain,
malnutrition, dehydration, burping, hiccupping or heartburn.