The inability to keep food down and frequent visits to the emergency room are just some of the daily struggles had by an estimated 40,000 people in Austin and the surrounding communities.
The diagnosis is gastroparesis, a chronic digestive disorder that causes abnormally slow emptying of the stomach. Comparatively, in a healthy digestive system, strong muscular contractions move food from the stomach through the digestive tract.
The physician team at the newly opened Seton Gastroparesis Center is offering Central Texas patients the latest treatment through the use of a neurostimulator, or stomach pacemaker. The device is very similar to the cardiac pacemaker.
Many patients are misdiagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, anorexia or bulimia because these diseases present similar symptoms. However, gastroparesis is a condition in which the muscles in the wall of your stomach work poorly or not at all. The condition can interfere with digestion; cause nausea and vomiting; and play havoc with blood sugar levels and nutrition.
Because gastroparesis patients have difficulty maintaining their nutritional status, they can even require intravenous or tube feeding to stay alive.
Medical management of these patients has grown more challenging as the number of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications has declined, leaving physicians with limited options for improving patients' symptoms and quality of life.
Earlier this year, a warning was released about neurological side effects that may be associated with Reglan, the only drug currently approved by the FDA to treat gastroparesis. Domperidone, another drug available in Canada and Mexico, is accessible here in the United States by a compounding pharmacy. However, patients quickly develop a resistance to the drug, which makes it a temporary solution.
The use of Botox injections into the stomach wall is also used as a treatment, but it only offers temporary relief.
The neurostimulator implant procedure is simple and involves the open or laparoscopic placement of two lead-electrodes and the neurostimulator into the abdominal wall. It delivers mild electrical stimulation to the lower stomach muscle, which alters the neurologic pathways to the brain, thereby decreasing nausea and vomiting.
Dr. John Sabra, a general surgeon with the Texas Surgical Group and Seton Family of Hospitals, is the only surgeon implanting gastric neurostimulators in Austin. He has joined with gastroenterologists Dr. Imtiaz Alam and Dr. Christian Mendez to form the Seton Gastroparesis Center located at University Medical Center Brackenridge. It is a unique collaboration that has gastroenterologists and surgeons working very closely to identify what's best for the individual patient.
In addition to surgical consultation and post-implant management, the center offers general patient consultation and a variety of therapy options, including diet modification and medical management.
"Many patients are still referred to San Antonio and Dallas for their care," Sabra said. "With the opening of the center in Austin, patients now have a comprehensive solution for managing their health with access to advanced treatment, as well as ongoing care close to home."
After searching for a diagnosis for more than a year and experiencing a significant decrease in quality of life, 53-year-old Arlene Ortiz's test results confirmed she suffers from severe gastroparesis. Upon consulting with Alam, she elected to receive the neurostimulator.
"After surgery, I was immediately craving a steak, potato and salad," Ortiz said. "It was wonderful to have my appetite back again."
It's been almost 12 months since Ortiz underwent surgery at UMC Brackenridge. She's quick to praise Alam and Sabra for giving her a new life – and the strength to share her story with others.
Every three months she has a check-up to monitor the current in her neurostimulator. Adjustments to the stimulation of the stomach wall can be made non-invasively using a hand-held, external programmer during a patient's office visit.
Prior to surgery, Ortiz's body was malnourished and incredibly weak. Today, she no longer takes medicine and continues to work on gaining weight. She's also returned to swimming at Stacy Pool near her home in South Austin.
For more information about the Seton Gastroparesis Center, call 512-324-8306 or visit www.setongastro.com.
