Electronic Implant Offers Hope to Patients Suffering From Chronic Nausea, Pain and Vomiting
If you or a loved one suffers from the chronic nausea and vomiting that are indicative of gastroparesis, you know just how debilitating the condition can be – and how any relief can be considered a miracle. The groundbreaking Enterra II neurostimulator has proven itself to be a miracle treatment for some gastroparesis patients when other treatment options have failed. In gastroparesis, which affects a number of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes patients, the stomach is unable to empty itself of food normally, causing abdominal pain and vomiting. The condition can also be attributed to idiopathic (unknown) origins or can develop in some patients after abdominal surgeries.
Medtronic Enterra II Neurostimulator
“Normally the stomach is a very dynamic organ that moves continuously to help propel food into the intestines,” explains NCH General Surgeon Robert Grossman, MD, who specializes in general, minimally invasive, laparoscopic and robotic surgery. “With gastroparesis, the stomach just sits there as an empty sack. When the stomach doesn’t move properly, patients can have severe pain after eating; patients usually have nausea and vomiting of undigested food.” According to Dr. Grossman, episodes can occur once or twice a week in mild cases, and up to 15 to 20 times a week in severe cases. “It can be very debilitating,” he says. “The few FDA- approved medications aren’t very effective, and the Enterra device is an excellent option that can help to restore a normal quality of life.” Gastroparesis patients ages 18 to 70 are candidates for the one to two-hour procedure, where a small device is implanted laparoscopically in the belly wall underneath the ribs. Two small electronic leads go into the stomach wall. “It is well-tolerated and patients don’t feel the device,” says Dr. Grossman. “They return home the same day, or stay overnight.” The implant’s settings can be adjusted by a handheld external device kept by the physician. When patients visit the office every six to twelve months for a check-up, the handheld device is placed over the implantation site and reads out data. Adjustments can then be easily made. Once a patient’s symptoms are controlled, they only need to return to the doctor when their implant requires a new battery, which should last for five to ten years. In an outpatient procedure, the old battery is removed, replaced with a new battery, returned to the skin pocket, and the implant is reprogrammed. Dr. Grossman perfected the procedure during his fellowship training and is the only physician in Collier and Lee Counties who performs the implantation laparoscopically. “The biggest benefit for these patients is improved quality of life; without treatment, they may end up in the hospital many days per year,” says Dr. Grossman. “For gastroparesis patients with severe pain, nausea, and vomiting, some may be able to eat a normal breakfast the day after surgery.” If you have symptoms of gastroparesis, you should make an appointment with your gastroenterologist. He or she will perform tests to see how quickly food empties from the stomach. If gastroparesis is diagnosed, they can then plan for implantation of Enterra II.
Dr. Robert Grossman with Enterra
Benefits of ENTERRA II neurotransmitter ■ It is as small as a regular pacemaker (2” x 2.4”) ■ Implantation is a low-risk procedure ■ Nausea and vomiting resulting from gastroparesis and idiopathic origins are greatly reduced ■ Data shows there is 68 percent improvement in weekly vomiting in diabetic and 87 percent improvement in idiopathic groups ■ Diabetic gastroparesis patients who normally experience 40-day hospital stays each year can reduce those days to 10 or less with Enterra II ■ In idiopathic patients, stays are reduced from two days per year to zero ■ Fully covered by insurance ■ FDA approved as a humanitarian-use device
For more information, contact NCH General Surgery at (239) 624-4650
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