Overcoming diabetic gastroparesis en route to kidney transplant

Clin Transplant. 2006 Mar-Apr;20(2):258-60. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2005.00454.x.

Abstract

Gastroparesis is a debilitating condition that affects a significant number of diabetic patients. Some of these patients have end-stage renal disease and are in need of kidney transplant. Symptoms of gastroparesis include: early satiety, pyrosis, epigastric pain, nausea and vomiting, which may lead to caloric and electrolyte deficiencies as well as significant weight loss. A viable option for diabetic gastroparesis patients who fail first line treatments consisting of dietary changes and gastric prokinetic medications is gastric electrical stimulator (GES) implantation. We present a 41-yr-old man and 35-yr-old woman with diabetic gastroparesis, who were initially deemed unacceptable candidates for renal transplantation because of marked malnourishment and a concern that they would not be able to tolerate immunosuppressant medications. In less than two yr following GES implantation, each patient underwent a successful kidney transplant.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / complications*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / surgery*
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / surgery*
  • Electric Stimulation Therapy
  • Female
  • Gastric Emptying
  • Gastroparesis / etiology*
  • Gastroparesis / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / surgery*
  • Kidney Transplantation / methods*
  • Laparotomy
  • Male