Gastroparesis (GP) is describing a condition when stomach does not empty as fast as it should. This fact creates the situation, when food stays in the stomach for a long time and it causes symptoms of nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, bloating, inability to finish normal size meal and abdominal pain. There are not many drugs available to treat this condition and majority of gastroparetic patients are not responding well to them after they are on it for some time. Many investigators are able to implant Gastric Stimulator System (GES) under FDA approved status of Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) definition. In the last few years it became possible to add another surgical procedure, which is called pyloroplasty (making bigger opening on the end of stomach), may help even more as it is also increasing the rate of the emptying of the stomach. Therefore this study is proposing to evaluate if GES in combination with pyloroplasty is much better than pyloroplasty alone. For this reason, two of these procedures will be introduced surgically at the same time, but GES devices will not be turn ON in half of these participants for 3 months. After that time all subjects will have their devices turned ON. All subjects will be asked to evaluate their symptoms of gastroparesis and their quality of life during clinical visits, and investigators will conduct pathological analyses of tissue obtained during surgery.
GES system (Enterra Therapy) involves surgical implantation of a pulse generator in the abdominal wall and 2 electrodes into the muscularis propria of the stomach. Well established procedure, called pyloroplasty, will be performed during the implantation of GES system, therefore all participants will have both surgeries done at the same time. Half of them will be randomized to keep GES ON after surgery, and other half will have GES turned OFF for 3 months. Both groups will be followed for additional 3 more months. Study related questionnaires and diagnostic/ clinical tests will be obtained at all points of interest of this study.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
44
Implantable GES System will be turned ON as an active intervention providing electrical stimulation to the muscle of stomach for 6 months in patients from the first arm, versus 3 months only of active stimulation in patients who are randomized to be in the second arm of the study. GES works by utilizing following parameters: Current 5 mA; Pulse Width 330µsec; Rate 14 Hz; Time ON 0.1 sec; Time OFF 5.0 sec.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
El Paso, Texas, United States
Changes of total gastroparesis symptom scores (TSS)
Severity and frequency of gastroparesis symptoms will be assess at baseline /surgery, after 3 months of randomized phase (GES ON or OFF), and at the end of 3 months of clinical follow up visit.
Time frame: up to 7 months
Total Symptom Score (TSS) with severity and frequency of gastroparesis symptoms in each etiological subgroup of patients
TSS in diabetic and idiopathic sub-group of gastroparetic patients will be compared and analyzed (if adequate number of patients will be in each subgroup)
Time frame: Up to 7 months
Associations between changes in gastric emptying and TSS
Statistical analyses of any possible correlation between retention of GET study meal and gastroparesis symptoms will be asses at the end of randomized phase of the study.
Time frame: Up to 7 months
Percentage of changes of gastric emptying retention of the radiolabeled meal (%) at 2-4 hrs
Scintigraphy Gastric Emptying Test (GET) will be recorded at baseline and after 3 months of randomized phase (GES ON or OFF)
Time frame: up to 7 months
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.