Guidelines Clinical Practice
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 7, 2009; 15(1): 25-37
Published online Jan 7, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.25
Gastroparesis: Current diagnostic challenges and management considerations
Shamaila Waseem, Baharak Moshiree, Peter V Draganov
Shamaila Waseem, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, United States
Baharak Moshiree, Peter V Draganov, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, United States
Author contributions: Waseem S, Moshiree B and Draganov PV designed the format; Waseem S performed the literature search and wrote the first draft of the paper; Moshiree B and Draganov PV contributed new articles to the literature search and reviewed the article.
Correspondence to: Peter V Draganov, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Florida, 1600 SW Archer Rd, Room HD 602, PO Box 100214 Gainesville, Florida 32610, United States. dragapv@medicine.ufl.edu
Telephone: +1-352-3922877
Fax: +1-352-3923618
Received: August 5, 2008
Revised: November 25, 2008
Accepted: December 2, 2008
Published online: January 7, 2009
Abstract

Gastroparesis refers to abnormal gastric motility characterized by delayed gastric emptying in the absence of mechanical obstruction. The most common etiologies include diabetes, post-surgical and idiopathic. The most common symptoms are nausea, vomiting and epigastric pain. Gastroparesis is estimated to affect 4% of the population and symptomatology may range from little effect on daily activity to severe disability and frequent hospitalizations. The gold standard of diagnosis is solid meal gastric scintigraphy. Treatment is multimodal and includes dietary modification, prokinetic and anti-emetic medications, and surgical interventions. New advances in drug therapy, and gastric electrical stimulation techniques have been introduced and might provide new hope to patients with refractory gastroparesis. In this comprehensive review, we discuss gastroparesis with emphasis on the latest developments; from the perspective of the practicing clinician.

Keywords: Gastroparesis, Nausea; Vomiting; Prokinetic; Therapy