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GASTROPARESIS

Men's Health, Women's Health / By

GASTROPARESIS

Gastroparesis is a medical condition characterized by partial paralysis of the stomach, resulting in the stomach being unable to empty itself of food in the normal way. This results in food remaining in the stomach for an abnormally long time.

Gastroparesis can cause several complications such:

  • Severe dehydration
  • Malnutrition
  • Food that sits in the stomach for too long can ferment, leading to the growth of bacteria.
  • Undigested food in the stomach can harden into a solid mass called a bezoar. Bezoar can cause blockages in the stomach preventing food from passing into the small intestine. This can cause nausea and vomiting and may be life-threatening.
  • Decreased quality of life.

CAUSES

The exact cause of gastroparesis is not known. But in many cases, it is believed to result from damage to the vagus nerve, a nerve that controls stomach muscles.

Normally, the stomach contracts to push food down into the small intestine for additional digestion. The vagus nerve helps control this complex process of these contractions. Gastroparesis occurs when the vagus nerve becomes damaged and can’t send signals normally to the stomach muscles. This prevents the muscles of the stomach and intestine from functioning properly, keeping food from moving from the stomach to the intestines.

The damage to the vagus nerve can be caused by diseases, such as diabetes, or surgery to the stomach or small intestine.

Other less common causes associated with gastroparesis may include:

  • Viral infections
  • Medications such as narcotics and certain antidepressants
  • Conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyloidosis, scleroderma.
  • Some cancer
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Anticholinergic drugs, which blocks nerve signals
  • Radiation therapy

SYMPTOMS

  • Nausea
  • Acid reflux
  • Lack of appetite
  • Weight loss and malnutrition
  • Abdominal pain
  • Vomiting undigested food
  • Abdominal bloating
  • A feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites
  • Changes in blood sugar levels
  • Heartburn

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

To make a diagnosis, the doctor may carry out the following tests:

  • Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to visually examine the upper digestive system such as the esophagus, stomach and the duodenum (the beginning of the small intestine). This test can also help to rule out other conditions, such as pyloric stenosis, or peptic ulcer disease which have symptoms that are similar to gastroparesis.
  • Gastric emptying scan which involves eating food that contains a small amount of a radioactive substance. A scanner that detects the movement of the radioactive substance is placed over your abdomen to monitor the rate at which the food leaves your stomach. If the scan shows that more than 10% of the food is still in your stomach 4 hours after eating, this is indicative that you have gastroparesis.
  • Ultrasound to create pictures of body organs
  • Upper gastrointestinal series where you take a white chalky liquid that coats the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine and shows up on X-ray.
TREATMENT

Gastroparesis is a long-lasting condition, and treatment doesn’t usually cure the disease. Dietary changes and medical treatment can help to control the condition.

The doctor may need to identify and treat the underlying condition causing your gastroparesis.

Dietary changes may include:

  • Eating smaller meals more frequently
  • Chewing food thoroughly before swallowing
  • Taking a multivitamin every day
  • Avoiding carbonated drinks, alcohol, and smoking
  • Eating well-cooked fruits and vegetables instead of raw fruits and vegetables
  • Drinking about 34 to 51 ounces of water daily
  • Avoiding food that can cause bezoars such as oranges and broccoli
  • Eating soft and liquid foods

Medications such as:

  • Metoclopramide, domperidone, and erythromycin to stimulate stomach muscles
  • Prochlorperazine to control nausea and vomiting

In some cases, where people may be unable to tolerate any food or liquids, doctors may recommend a jejunostomy tube (a feeding tube) be placed in the small intestine, or a gastric venting tube to help relieve pressure from gastric contents.