Dr. Lee was born in Shanghai, China, and received his college and medical training in the United States. He is fluent in English and three Chinese dialects. He graduated with chemistry departmental honors from Harvey Mudd College. He was appointed president of AOA society at UCLA School of Medicine. He underwent internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
If gastroparesis is caused by a reversible problem, for example pancreatitis,
the condition will subside when the underlying problem resolves. In some
diabetics, better control of their blood sugar will improve emptying of the
stomach. If there is no reversible cause, gastroparesis rarely resolves. In
fact, it may become worse with time. Gastroparesis is particularly difficult to
treat when there are accompanying motility disorders of the muscles of the small
intestine.
The newest experimental treatment for gastroparesis is
injection of botulinum toxin into the pylorus. The pylorus is
the narrow channel through which food passes from the stomach to the duodenum.
The pylorus, like the stomach, is a muscular organ. The pylorus is closed most
of the time due to continuous contraction of the pyloric muscle. Intermittently
it opens and allows secretions from the stomach to enter the small intestine.
After meals, the pylorus is very important for metering the emptying of the
stomach. In gastroparesis, although the muscles of the stomach are weak all of
the time, the muscle of the pylorus remains strong and contracted and the
pylorus relatively closed. It was hypothesized that if the strength of the
pyloric muscle was reduced, food might empty from the stomach more readily.
Although a surgical procedure, termed pyloroplasty, to enlarge the pylorus has
been used in the past to treat problems with emptying of the stomach, it is
major surgery and has had mixed results with respect to its efficacy. More
recently, relaxation of the pyloric muscles has been produced by injecting
botulinum toxin (Botox) into the pylorus. Although results have been good, the
procedure has not been studied enough to recommend its use unless it is part of
a research protocol.
Gastroparesis is a disease of the muscles of the
stomach or the nerves controlling the muscles that causes the muscles to stop
working.
Gastroparesis results in inadequate grinding of food
by the stomach and poor emptying of food from the stomach into the intestine.
The primary symptoms of gastroparesis are nausea and
vomiting.
Gastroparesis is best diagnosed by a test called a
gastric emptying study.
Gastroparesis
usually is treated with nutritional support, drugs for treating nausea and
vomiting, drugs that stimulate the muscle to contract, and, less often,
electrical pacing and surgery.
Gas or "intestinal gas" means different things to different people. Everyone has gas and eliminates it by belching or farting (passing it through the rectum).
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which the acidified liquid
contents of the stomach backs up into the esophagus. The symptoms of uncomplicated GERD are heartburn,
regurgitation, and nausea. Effective treatment is available for most patients with GERD.
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. The two types of diabetes are referred to as type 1 (insulin dependent) and type 2 (non-insulin dependent). Symptoms of diabetes include increased urine output, thirst, hunger, and fatigue. Treatment of diabetes depends on the type.
Pancreatitis is a rare disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed, occurring when digestive enzymes are activated and begin attacking the pancreas causing damage to the gland. There are two types of pancreatitis, acute and chronic. Most commonly caused by alcohol or gallstones, it can lead to bleeding in the gland, serious tissue damage, infection, and cysts. Enzymes and toxins may then enter the bloodstream and seriously injure organs, such as the heart, lungs, and kidney.
Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease of the connective tissue. It is characterized by the formation of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the skin and organs of the body, leading to thickness and firmness of involved areas. Scleroderma is also referred to as systemic sclerosis, and the cause is unknown. Treatment of scleroderma is directed toward the individual features that are most troubling to the patient.
Nausea and vomiting are symptoms that may be caused by many conditions. Antiemetics are drugs that treat nausea and vomiting. Though some antiemetics for motion sickness and mild nausea are available over the counter (OTC), most require a medical evaluation and prescription.
Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
Diabetes RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the