Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is a disorder affecting the nerves and muscles of the stomach, resulting in a paralyzed stomach that cannot perform its normal function. Normally, your stomach contracts slowly to squeeze solid food into small particles, which are then pushed into the small bowel. With gastroparesis, food is not moved into the small bowel and remains in the stomach for much longer than usual. When food lingers too long in the stomach, problems such as bacterial overgrowth can develop in the small bowel. Also, the food can harden into solid masses called bezoars that may cause nausea, vomiting and an obstruction in the stomach.

Although the cause of gastroparesis is unknown in more than half of patients, type 1 diabetes is the most common cause. It also can develop in people with type 2 diabetes, although this is less common. Other causes of gastroparesis include:

• Postviral syndromes
• Anorexia nervosa
• Surgery on the stomach or vagus nerve
• Medications, particularly anticholinergics and narcotics, which slow contractions in the intestine
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease, although this is rare
• Smooth muscle disorders such as amyloidosis and scleroderma
• Nervous system diseases, including abdominal migraine and Parkinson's disease

At UCSF Medical Center experts treat patients with gastroparesis with medication and also help them to follow certain dietary requirements.

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Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated February 14, 2008