New Treatment Options in Diabetic Gastroparesis
Diabetic gastroparesis is a disabling condition which can be refractory to medical treatment. Contrary to popular belief, diabetic gastroparesis, as defined by radioisotope studies, can occur in about 50% of patients with longstanding type 1 and type 2 diabetes.[1,2] Though most patients are asymptomatic, a small proportion of these patients may have severe symptoms and are resistant to medications, needing frequent admissions for intravenous fluids and prokinetic agents. This has provided an impetus to find novel approaches to treatment, such as stimulating the stomach with an implantable electrical device (gastric pacemaker) or injecting botulinum toxin into the pyloric sphincter. We present an interesting case of severe refractory diabetic gastroparesis and the emerging role of gastric pacemakers and botulinum toxin in this condition.
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06/09/2008
Catherine Patterson; Krishnan Swaminathan; Nigel Reynolds; John Petrie
The British Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease
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