Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis (also called delayed gastric emptying) is a condition involving impaired motility function in the stomach. Normally, nerves and muscles in the stomach work properly to move digested food down into the intestines. In people with gastroparesis, digested food moves slowly or stops moving through the digestive tract.

People with diabetes, particularly type 1 diabetes, are at risk for developing gastroparesis, but there are other causes. In many cases, the cause is unknown.

Go To:  Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment

Symptoms and Complications

Symptoms of gastroparesis include upper abdominal pain, nausea, feeling full after eating only a few bites, bloating, vomiting, and weight loss. If food lingers too long, it can lead to an overgrowth of bacteria. Food also can harden, forming potentially dangerous blockages.

To schedule an appointment with a Lankenau gastroenterologist, call 866.CALL.MLH or use the online appointment request form.

Diagnosis

Gastroparesis usually is suspected based on a person’s symptoms and physical examination findings. Blood tests, imaging studies, motility studies, and endoscopic procedures may be performed to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other possible causes for delayed gastric emptying. Specialized diagnostic tools used at Lankenau Medical Center include:

• Wireless capsule motility testing (SmartPill). This relatively new technology involves the use of a capsule-sized device to evaluate motility function within the digestive tract. The device is swallowed and travels through the digestive tract, transmitting information about pressure, pH, and transit times for each segment of the digestive tract and the system overall. A data recorder, worn on a belt, collects the information. The device is excreted in a bowel movement.
• Gastric emptying study. This radiologic test is used to measure how quickly and completely food empties from the stomach. A small meal is eaten that contains a small amount of radioactive material, and then an external scan is used to track the radioactive material as it moves through the digestive tract.

Treatment

Gastroparesis cannot be cured. Treatment approaches include:

• Dietary changes. Symptoms may be improved by eating smaller and more frequent meals, avoiding high-fat foods (fats slow digestion), and avoiding high-fiber foods (fiber is more difficult to digest).
• Medications

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