Conditions We Treat: Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis, also called gastric stasis, occurs when there is delayed gastric emptying. Delayed gastric emptying means your stomach takes too long to empty its contents. If the food hardens into a solid mass, this could cause nausea, vomiting, and obstruction in the stomach, which blocks food from passing into the small intestine.

Gastroparesis: What You Need to Know

Causes of gastroparesis include diabetes, previous gastric surgery, infection and anorexia nervosa.
Diagnostic procedures, including an upper endoscopy, can confirm a diagnosis of gastroparesis.
Your doctor’s goal is to correct or reverse any underlying problems causing the gastroparesis; if that is not possible, then the goal is to relieve your symptoms.
Treatment for gastroparesis includes dietary changes, medication and endoscopic treatment.

Normal gastric motility (movement) and emptying requires intricate coordination between the nervous system and the smooth muscles of your gastrointestinal system. When something interferes with this coordination, it could affect gastric function and gastric emptying.

Patient Resources

Learn more about gastroparesis in our Health Library

Read a more in-depth article about gastroparesis, written by Johns Hopkins gastroenterologists, which details the anatomical description of the causes of gastroparesis.

Request an Appointment