Treatment Options for Gastroparesis

Medication and diet changes are standard treatments for gastroparesis. But on their own, they may not provide enough relief. If medications don't work, your doctor may prescribe Medtronic’s Enterra^® neurostimulator. It may help control nausea and vomiting.

There is no cure for gastroparesis, but several treatments are available that may improve symptoms and quality of life.

Nutrition Education/Diet Modifications

Patients are often initially treated with nutrition education and diet modifications. The purpose of diet modification is to reduce symptoms and maintain adequate fluids and nutrition. A modified diet typically consists of liquids, restricted fats and plant fiber, and frequent small meals.

Drugs

The most common drugs used to treat gastroparesis or its symptoms include :

Prokinetic drugs – used to improve the rate of stomach emptying

Antiemetic drugs – used to control nausea and vomiting but have no effect on stomach emptying

Enteral Nutrition

This therapy involves the delivery of liquid nutrients via a tube placed directly into the stomach or small intestine. Feeding tubes are usually temporary and used only when gastroparesis is severe.

Total Parenteral Nutrition

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) supplies nutrients to a person’s bloodstream through an intravenous (IV) infusion. TPN is used only if enteral feeding is not tolerated or is insufficient to meet caloric needs.

Surgery

Surgery for gastroparesis is considered a treatment of last resort. One surgery, called pyloroplasty, involves widening of the pyloric valve (the muscle that separates the stomach from the upper region of the small intestine, which is called the duodenum).

Gastric Electrical Stimulation

This surgical option is indicated for patients with chronic, drug-refractory (resistant to medication) nausea and vomiting due to gastroparesis of diabetic or idiopathic origin.

The Enterra neurostimulator is implanted beneath the skin and connected to two leads implanted in the stomach muscle. The effectiveness of this device for this use has not been demonstrated.

Ask your doctor about potential side effects associated with each treatment option.

Next: About Gastric Electrical Stimulation

Humanitarian Device: The effectiveness of this device for this use has not been demonstrated.

Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.

Last updated: 3 Aug 2008