Gastric electrical stimulation in medically refractory nausea and vomiting

Abstract

High-frequency gastric electrical stimulation is a new therapeutic option to improve refractory nausea and vomiting, in gastroparetic patients. Its effects on gastric emptying are, however, inconstant and limited. Therefore, we have hypothesized that high-frequency gastric electrical stimulation could be also effective in patients suffering from refractory vomiting and nausea with normal gastric emptying, and we have compared the symptomatic efficacy of high-frequency gastric electrical stimulation between patients with delayed and normal gastric emptying. Fifteen patients with chronic, severe and medically resistant nausea and vomiting were included in the study. Gastric emptying was delayed in eight patients (Group 1) and normal in seven patients (Group 2). At inclusion and at 6 months after the start of the stimulation, symptoms (nausea and vomiting, bloating, regurgitations, abdominal pain and appetite) and quality of life were prospectively evaluated using the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index score whereas gastric emptying was assessed by scintigraphy and/or octanoic acid breath test. Age, sex, symptoms and quality of life were not different at baseline between the two groups. At 6 months, Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index and nausea/vomiting scores had significantly improved in both groups. Other symptoms (bloating, regurgitations, abdominal pain and appetite) had improved at 6 months in Group 1 but not in Group 2. Six months after the start of stimulation, gastric emptying was normal in 4/8 Group 1 patients and 5/7 Group 2 patients but was not significantly different from that calculated before the implantation of the stimulator. Our results suggest that high-frequency gastric electrical stimulation could be an effective therapy for treating chronic, severe vomiting and nausea whether gastric emptying is delayed or not.