Mary suffers from gastroparesis, a condition in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents. It is a debilitating condition that can strike anyone, but people with diabetes are more susceptible. As many as 50 percent of people with type 2 diabetes and 20 percent with type 1 diabetes have the gastrointestinal disorder.

Treatment for gastroparesis can be discouraging. Some people can manage the condition by limiting their diet. Others must rely on medications, such as Reglan (metoclopramide), which can have serious side effects such as a involuntary movement disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia.

With little hope left, Mary chose another option – to have an innovative new surgery available at Texas Tech University’s Paul Foster School of Medicine. As part of the surgery, doctors will implant a device called the Enterra into Mary’s abdomen. “It’s a very powerful anti-nausea, anti-vomiting tool,” gastroneurologist Richard McCallum, founding chair at the Paul Foster School of Medicine, told KTSM-TV.

Mary’s surgery will be third of its kind performed at the El Paso medical center. “Even if my symptoms got 50 percent better, it would be a huge change in my day,” Mary said.

SOURCE: Reglan Side Effects › Woman to have innovative new surgery to treat gastroparesis

Patients who suffer from regular vomiting, stomach pain or trouble swallowing are usually given diagnostic tests such as endoscopies, biopsies and CT scans. Some patients are sent to other cities for more advanced testing. With the opening of El Paso’s new clinic, patients who suffer from serious gastrointestinal conditions have more options for specialized care.

“Rather than sending patients to the Mayo Clinic, we can take care of them right here,” says Dr. Richard McCallum, a gastroenterologist and chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at El Paso’s medical school, in an interview with the El Paso Times. “We offer a very cutting-edge array of the best tests to diagnose the disorders.”

These tests include an esophageal motility test to measure the muscles and pressure of the esophagus; and a gastric emptying test and an ingestible SmartPill, both of which monitor how quickly food leaves the stomach. “These are a series of tests the average hospital and (doctor’s) office do not have,” Dr. McCallum says.

The center will also conduct medical students for new drugs and treatments for various gastrointestinal conditions, including gastroparesis, a condition in which the stomach empties its contents too slowly causing pain, disability and nutritional problems for those who suffer from the condition.

SOURCE: Reglan Side Effects › New medical center to focus on gastrointestinal disorders