Overview
Gastroparesis treatment requires multiple specialists who are knowledgeable in the most effective therapies. At Cleveland Clinic in Florida, we provide this multidisciplinary approach and tailor your treatment to your needs.
Our team includes gastroenterologists, nutritionists, GI surgeons and nurses who specialize in caring for people with gastroparesis. With this team of experts on your side, you can be confident you’re receiving exceptional care.
Why Choose Cleveland Clinic Florida for Gastroparesis Care?
When you come to us for gastroparesis care, you have access to the full range of treatments. Benefits of our program include:
- Leading GI specialists: You receive care from gastroenterologists and GI surgeons who are nationally ranked leaders in their field. Meet our team.
- Thorough diagnosis: Our specialists provide advanced tests and imaging, such as the SmartPill®, to gather detailed information about your GI tract. Our process ensures we have important information about your health before we move forward with treatment.
- Minimally invasive procedures: Our specialists were among the first in the nation to successfully treat gastroparesis with advanced endoscopy. We provide endoscopic gastric pacemakers and the per oral endoscopic pyloromyotomy (POP) procedure, which are not widely available.
- Collaborative care: Multiple specialists work together to create your treatment plan. We coordinate your visits when needed, so you see gastroenterologists, GI surgeons and nutritionists in one visit.
Diagnosis & Testing
Our team talks with you about your symptoms and concerns before recommending treatment for gastroparesis. We provide advanced tests for a detailed diagnosis, which may include:
Blood and urine tests
We offer specialized blood tests to rule out autoimmune conditions that are commonly mistaken for gastroparesis. Our team also rules out other conditions, such as infection, and looks for diabetes or other health conditions. We check for possible complications of gastroparesis, such as dehydration or kidney problems.
Gastric breath test
This noninvasive test measures how your digestive system is working through a series of breath tests. You eat a meal that contains a harmless carbon molecule, and your intestines absorb the molecule with the food. Then, you breathe into a special device that measures the carbon in your digestive tract. Our gastroparesis nurses guide you through each step of the test.
Gastric emptying scan
Also called gastric emptying scintigraphy, this test uses X-rays to track movements in your digestive system. You eat a small meal that contains a tracer, a substance that shows up on X-rays. We take X-rays of your stomach at set times, usually one, two and four hours after you eat the meal with the tracer. Our specialists evaluate your scans and explain your results.
SmartPill®
The SmartPill® is a noninvasive test that collects details about how your digestive tract functions. You swallow the device, which measures the movement in your stomach, small intestine and colon without X-rays or wires. Our specialists collect and analyze this information to provide a detailed diagnosis.
Upper GI endoscopy
Our gastroenterologists are leaders in endoscopy to diagnose and treat GI conditions. We place a thin, lighted tube with a camera down your throat during this minimally invasive procedure. Our specialists look at your esophagus and stomach and check for signs of gastroparesis and other digestive diseases. Find out more about advanced GI endoscopy.
Treatment
We provide leading-edge, customized treatment for gastroparesis. Your care depends on several factors, including the underlying cause and your test results. We provide:
Nutritional therapy
Skilled nutritional therapy is a key part of managing gastroparesis. Our nutrition team provides you with a customized plan and ongoing support. You receive expert nutritional guidance from our physicians, registered dietitians, dietetic technicians and nurses. Learn more about our Center for Human Nutrition.
Medications
Certain medications help regulate the muscles that move food out of your stomach. Our physicians know the latest medications that treat gastroparesis and improve your quality of life. We customize the type and dosage of your medication to minimize side effects and improve your quality of life.
Minimally invasive gastric pacemaker
Our specialists place a small device in your stomach in this procedure, which also is called gastric electrical stimulation. The device sends mild electrical pulses that tell your stomach muscles to move regularly. Our surgeons are among a few in the nation who use minimally invasive methods to implant gastric pacemakers.
Per oral endoscopic pyloromyotomy (POP)
We were the first in South Florida to provide the per oral endoscopic pyloromyotomy (POP) procedure. This therapy requires a high level of expertise and is not widely available. POP uses an endoscope (lighted tube with a camera) that goes down your throat.
Our GI surgeons widen your pylorus, the opening from your stomach to your small intestine. With this larger opening, your stomach empties more quickly. POP takes less than an hour in our skilled hands, and most patients go home the next day.
Care for underlying causes
Chronic health conditions such as diabetes and hypothyroidism are common causes of gastroparesis. Managing the underlying cause is an important part of your treatment plan.
At Cleveland Clinic in Florida, our gastroenterologists work with other specialists, such as endocrinologists, to pinpoint the cause of gastroparesis. You receive care from multiple experts all in one place.
Appointments & Locations
Make an appointment at a Cleveland Clinic location in Florida, or schedule a virtual visit.
