New gastric pacemaker device

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Something as simple as having a slice of pizza wasn't possible for Pam Thompson earlier this year.

"I would have to have just a little tiny piece and then 50/50 on whether I was going to be sick or not," said Thompson.

Recommended Videos



Diagnosed with gastroparesis 25 years ago, her stomach wouldn't digest food properly and she couldn't eat anything without throwing up.

Thompson explained, "Almost every day, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day, I just couldn't keep anything down. I was always nauseous, never wanted food, didn't want to smell it, cook it, or see it."

Medications failed, but thanks to a new pacemaker device placed under the skin, she is getting her appetite back.

"It's changed her life," said John Petersen, D.O., FACG, FACP, Board Certified Gastroenterologist at Borland-Groover Clinic and on the medical staff of Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville.

Petersen says gastroparesis is a condition where the nerves that control stomach functioning are damaged. It's typically seen in diabetics like Pam, but can strike anyone.

"They can't accept a meal properly," said Petersen, "They can't grind a meal into the right size and shape to get out into the intestine so it can be absorbed."

The gastric pacemaker uses electrical stimulation to get the stomach to contract and do its work. Doctors can monitor functioning and make adjustments as needed.

"I think it's a massive breakthrough for the people that just had nothing to look forward to," Peterson said.

Now Thompson can eat without worry and focus more attention on her dog Tango.

Patients can also get gastroparesis after a viral infection impacts the nerves. Symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea with vomiting, bloating and weight loss.

Additional Information:

Strong muscle contractions normally propel food through the digestive tract; however in patients with gastroparesis, the muscles in the stomach don't work as well. This lack of propulsion through the G.I. tract disables the stomach from emptying normally which can interfere with digestion, causing nausea, vomiting and problems with blood sugar levels and nutrition. In many cases, gastroparesis can be caused by a damaged vagus nerve which controls stomach muscles. The vagus nerve signals the stomach muscles to contract and push food into the small intestine. It can be damaged by diseases such as diabetes or surgery in the stomach or abdomen. There are several methods to diagnose gastroparesis such as: gastric emptying study, antro-duodenal motility study and an electrogastrogram.

(Sources: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gastroparesis, http://www.medicinenet.com/gastroparesis/page3.htm#how_is_gastroparesis_diagnosed)


TREATMENT: If gastroparesis is caused by diabetes, controlling blood sugar may improve symptoms. Changes in diet can also help relieve symptoms, such as eating smaller, more frequent meals, and avoiding foods that are highly fibrous and fatty foods. Cooking raw, high-fiber fruits and vegetables can help lower the fiber levels. Medications that can help with symptoms include anti-emetics which help control nausea and vomiting, and erythromycin and metoclopramide which can help stimulate stomach muscles. Botox has been considered an experimental treatment, in which the nerve toxin is injected into the stomach and relaxes the pyloric muscle, allowing the stomach to release food into the small intestine. Surgery, or a gastroenterostomy, in which an opening is created between the stomach and small intestine to allow food to move through the digestive tract more easily.

(Sources: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000297.htm, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gastroparesis/basics/treatment/con-20023971)


NEW TECHNOLOGY: A new device, called the Enterra gastric neurostimulator, uses mild electrical pulses to stimulate the stomach muscle wall. The electrical stimulation involves attaching two insulated wires or electrodes laproscopically to the lower area of the stomach. The electrodes attach to the neurostimulator and are placed in an internal pouch on the abdominal wall. The device can be programmed easily, by a physician via telemetry, with specific parameters to enhance the frequency of stomach contractions. Depending on the strength of the stimulation needed for a patient, the device's battery can last anywhere from 5 to 10 years. John Petersen, D.O., Board Certified Gastroenterologist at Borland-Groover Clinic and Baptist Health in Jacksonville, FL told Ivanhoe, "This is really monumental. We really think we have a device that is effective, safe and something we can rely on."

(Source: http://www.baptistjax.com/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/baptist-health-gastric-pacemaker-surgery-helps-patients)