Refractory gastroparesis after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: surgical treatment with implantable pacemaker

Gastroparesis is a rare complication of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. We evaluate the role of gastric electrical stimulation in medically refractory gastroparesis.

Patients with refractory gastroparesis after gastric bypass for morbid obesity were studied. After behavioral and anatomic problems were ruled out, the diagnosis of disordered gastric emptying was confirmed by radionuclide gastric emptying. Temporary endoscopic stimulation was used first to assess response before implanting a permanent device.

Six patients, all women with mean age of 42 years, were identified. Two patients ultimately had reversal of their surgery with gastro-gastrostomy, while another had a total gastrectomy with persistence of symptoms in all three. Five of the patients evaluated had insertion of a permanent gastric pacemaker, with pacing lead implanted on the gastric pouch (2), the antrum of the reconstructed stomach (1), or the proximal Roux limb (2). Nausea and emesis improved significantly postoperatively; mean total symptom score decreased from 15 to 11 out of 20. There was also a persistent improvement in gastric emptying postoperatively based on radionuclide testing.

If medical therapy fails, electrical stimulation is a viable option in selected patients with gastroparesis symptoms complicating gastric bypass and should be considered in lieu of reversal surgery or gastrectomy.